SHENZHEN, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- A new air route was launched between Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province and Malaysia's Penang state Wednesday.

The route, operated by Shenzhen Airlines, has round-trip flights scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

The outbound flight leaves Shenzhen at 1:30 p.m. Beijing time and arrives in Penang at 5:05 p.m. local time. The return flight departs Penang at 6:05 p.m. local time and arrives in Shenzhen at 10:10 p.m. Beijing time.

The new route will offer a more convenient choice for passengers to do business and travel in the Pearl River Delta region, and promote economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between Shenzhen and Penang, said the airlines.