On December 31, 2006, the maiden flight of Beijing---Dubai---Lagos direct airline of the China Southern Airlines Company (CSAC) successfully landed at the Lagos International Airport in Nigeria. It marks the inauguration of China's first direct flight to the Africa.

H.E. Mr. Femi Feni-Kayode, Minister of Aviation of Nigeria, representing H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria, H.E. Mr. Xu Jianguo, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Mr. Yan Zhize, Vice Minister of Bureau of Civil Aviation of China, Mr. Liu Shaoyong, General Manager of CSAC, and other officials and distinguished guests attended the inauguration ceremony at the airport.

Mr. Kayode, the Nigerian Minister of Aviation, delivered his welcoming speech and said that this is the first time when a civil aircraft of the largest country in the Far East lands in the biggest African nation. The Nigerian minister added that the Chinese flight is a good symbol of the creativity, amity and justice of the Chinese people, which fully manifests the sincere trust between China and Nigeria.

Ambassador Xu Jianguo pointed out in his speech that China and Nigeria are two brotherly countries, the Beijing---Lagos direct flight helps to bring the two brothers ever closer. The Chinese Ambassador believed that the Chinese airlines were bound to serve as a solid bridge between the two friendly peoples from now on.

General Manager Liu Shaoyong of CSAC noted that Nigeria is becoming China's second largest trading partner in Africa and playing an increasing more important role in the world. Mr. Liu added that the Beijing---Lagos flight would strongly boost the political, economic, cultural and tourist ties between China and Nigeria, and between China and the Africa at large.

Later in the evening, the China South Airlines Company (CSAC) and the Chinese Embassy jointly hosted an Inauguration Party for the newly born airlines at Eko hotel in Lagos, on which the CSAC wished China, Nigeria and the two friendly peoples a happy and prosperous new year.

The information of the Beijing---Dubai---Lagos direct airlines: CZ 332 Leaves Lagos to Beijing at 13:30 on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, and arrives at Dubai and Beijing at 00:30 and 13:45 on the next day respectively; CZ 331 Leaves Beijing to Lagos at 23:40 on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, and arrives at Dubai and Lagos at 04:30 and 06:10 on the following day respectively. The aircraft is the new model of Airbus 330.