CHINA Eastern Airlines is to start a route linking Shanghai to Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from next Thursday to boost economic interaction between the two cities.

The daily return flight between Shanghai and Kashgar, one of China's westernmost cities, will stop over in Urumqi, China Eastern said, and the flying time from Shanghai to Kashgar will be six and a half hours.

The first return flight from Kashgar is expected to bring 20 cataract patients for treatment in Shanghai as well as three tons of fruit, the carrier said.

Kashgar is regarded as one of China's western frontiers. It borders five countries and historically has made major contributions to cultural exchanges between the East and the West.

"The new route will create an air bridge between the two cities and facilitate Shanghai's support for Kashgar," China Eastern said. "It will hopefully bring more tourism and business opportunities to Kashgar."

The central government in May unveiled a massivepackage to boost development and bring stability in Xinjiang. Under the program, 19 Chinese provinces and cities, including Shanghai, Beijing and Guangdong, are required to extend support to different areas in Xinjiang.

The 19 provinces and cities will be expected to earmark 0.3 to 0.6 percent of their fiscalrevenue every year from 2011 to 2020 to support Xinjiang's growth, according to an earlier report by Xinhua news agency.

Shanghai has signed agreements to develop the first batch of 20 projects in Kashgar, which cover sectors including education, health, agriculture and human resources.

• flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)
• treatment [´tri:tmənt] n.待遇；对待；治疗 (初中英语单词)
• western [´westən] a.西的；西方的 (初中英语单词)
• cultural [´kʌltʃərəl] a.文化(上)的；教养的 (初中英语单词)
• package [´pækidʒ] n.包(裹) vt.组装 (初中英语单词)
• program [´prəugræm] n.说明v.为...安排节目 (初中英语单词)
• agency [´eidʒənsi] n.代理商；机构；代理 (初中英语单词)
• agriculture [´ægrikʌltʃə] n.农业；农事 (初中英语单词)
• carrier [´kæriə] n.搬运工人；托架 (高中英语单词)
• massive [´mæsiv] a.厚实的；魁伟的 (高中英语单词)
• revenue [´revinju:] n.税收；收入 (高中英语单词)
• cataract [´kætərækt] n.大瀑布；白内障 (英语四级单词)
• bridge [bridʒ] n.桥(梁)；鼻梁；桥牌 (英语四级单词)
• facilitate [fə´siliteit] vt.使便利，使容易 (英语四级单词)
• stability [stə´biliti] n.稳定；巩固；坚定 (英语四级单词)
• hopefully [´həupfəli] ad.抱着希望地 (英语六级单词)
• fiscal [´fiskəl] a.财政的 (英语六级单词)