A new regular air service commenced between the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu and Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday, local airport authorities said.

The new flight, which includes a stopover in the southern Chinese city of Nanning, was jointly launched by Guangxi Airport Management Group, Nanning municipal government and Sichuan Airlines.

Sichuan Airlines offers a round-trip flight every Monday and Thursday, a spokesman with the Guangxi Airport Management Group said.

The air service has been launched in part for the upcoming 8th China-ASEAN Expo, which is slated for Oct. 21-26, he said.

It also serves Guangxi's residents and visitors to Vietnam, which has become Guangxi's largest trading partner among ASEAN countries, he added.