Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is getting closer to other parts of the country with the opening of new regular flights.

Xiamen Airlines, based in the eastern Chinese city of Xiamen in Fujian Province, launched a new flight between Fujian's capital of Fuzhou and Tibet's capital of Lhasa on Sunday, a company spokesman said Monday.

The round-trip flight, with a stopover in southwest China's city of Chongqing, will be operated every Wednesday and Saturday, the spokesman said. A refitted 128-seat Boeing 737-700 will be used for the flight.

Xiamen Airlines will launch another new regular flight linking Lhasa with Xiamen on Tuesday, the spokesman said.

"Transportation links between east China and Tibet will be further strengthened," he said.

To date, eight domestic airlines have offered air services to Tibet, linking Lhasa with a dozen Chinese cities.

The Shanghai-Lhasa air route was previously the only air route between Tibet and east China.