More international air routes between Urumqi and major cities in Western Europe, Egypt and India will be launched in the next decade, officials announced Tuesday. The expanded service is expected to strengthen connections between the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and destinations along the Belt and Road Initiative.

Urumqi International Airport operates 24 direct and connecting international passenger routes to destinations in Central Asia, Turkey, Iran, Russia, South Korea and Azerbaijan.

But it doesn't provide direct service to Western Europe.