A cargo charter flight linking northwest China with Kazakhstan was opened on Saturday with hopes that it can boost development of the Silk Road economic belt spanning the Eurasia continent.

The annual international cargo handling capacity of Hedong International Airport in Yinchuan, capital city of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, will be raised to 4,000 tonnes from the current 200 tonnes.

Huo Hongguang, deputy head of the region's commerce department, said an increase of 300 million US dollars' worth of exports could be expected annually from the direct flight.

According to the local airport authority, the flight is jointly sponsored by Chapman Freeborn, a British charter aircraft company, and Ningxia Cargo Airlines.

Goods from north, northwest, northeast and central China will be gathered in Yinchuan before being delivered to Kazakhstan on the flight, which will depart two to four times per week.