The China-proposed Belt and Road (B&R) initiative is bringing new opportunities to flag carrier Air China in the expansion of its international network.

On May 31, Air China said at a conference that the airline is already on its way to bolstering the overseas operations of Chinese companies by launching flights to destinations along the B&R routes.

Since the proposal of the initiative in 2013, Air China has been focusing on launching international flights to destinations along the B&R routes, helping facilitate trade cooperation between China and those countries and regions.

Now, the company's international network covers 19 countries and regions along the routes, creating positive influence in those areas.

By May 2018, the company's number of air routes linking China and Europe was 29, up 50 percent compared with five years ago. By that same month, routes from China to other destinations in the Asia-Pacific region also stood at 29, up 30 percent compared with five years ago.