Mileslife, an innovative mileage earning program operator in China, announced on Wednesday it had agreed an exclusive strategic partnership with All Nippon Airways, Japan's only five-star airline.

The strategic agreement means ANA's frequent flyer program members can earn miles by making purchases in the China market, and Mileslife app users can now earn ANA miles directly through daily lifestyle and travel purchases.

"Through this partnership, we're creating a wider loyalty experience by developing new services for our global members, especially for our customers in China," said Tomohiko Mano, vice-president of ANA X Inc.

"As the largest and the only Skytrax five-star airline in Japan, which operates to 42 cities worldwide, including 10 cities on the Chinese mainland, we're always looking for more ways to provide greater value to our ANA Mileage Club members."

ANA flies direct to Japan from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Dalian, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan and Hong Kong.

This year, ANA is celebrating its 30th anniversary of flights to China. The airline now carries more than 2 million passengers annually between China and Japan, which remains the top destination for Chinese tourists.

Last year, 6.37 million Chinese visited Japan, spending 3.7 trillion yen (US$32.6 billion), according to the Japan Tourism Agency.