BEIJING - Hainan Airlines will launch China's first direct flight to Ireland to facilitate bilateral tourism and economic exchanges, the company announced Thursday.

The flight linking Beijing and Dublin will start operation on June 12, with the flight from Beijing to Dublin taking off each Thursday and Sunday and the return flight taking off each Tuesday and Saturday.

The company also decided to launch Beijing's first direct flight to Edinburgh. Flights linking Dublin and Edinburgh will also be opened.

The flights will operate using Airbus A330 aircraft, the company said.

Hainan Airlines also inked strategic cooperation agreements with the airports of Dublin and Edinburgh, as well as Tourism Ireland and VisitScotland to promote people-to-people and economic exchanges.