Central Chinese city sends anti-virus supplies to Europe

CHANGSHA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Changsha, capital of the central Chinese province of Hunan, has sent a batch of medical supplies weighing over 89 tonnes to Europe to support the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, local authorities said Wednesday.

The supplies, including face masks, protective clothes and disposable gloves, flew from Changsha on a cargo flight to reach Liege Airport in Belgium early Wednesday.

This marks the opening of a regular cargo route between the two cities. The route, operated by China's SF Airlines, is expected to have three flights each week, mainly for transporting medical supplies, according to local authorities.

Apart from Belgium, the first batch of supplies will also be distributed to Florence and Turin in Italy, according to Yang Li, head of the logistics and port affairs office of the Changsha government.

Changsha has opened multiple international cargo flight routes as the global pandemic develops. Another one to Los Angeles is expected to be launched in late April, according to the provincial airport management authority.