GATWICK has announced new expansion to boost business links with China and the wider Far East.

International airline company Cathay Pacific is launching a new four-times-a-week service to Hong Kong – gateway to China and the Far East.

This new service cements Gatwick’s place in the premier league of airports offering 50 plus long haul routes across the globe

Gatwick now connects the UK to three Chinese cities, including only direct flights to Chongqing – the commercial capital of South West China.

China is the UK’s second biggest export market outside Europe and this new service to Hong Kong is Gatwick’s third new route to the country this year.

The other two are Chongqing, the commercial capital of South West China, and Tianjin, China’s third biggest city.

Guy Stephenson, chief commercial officer at Gatwick, said: "Hong Kong is the premier gateway to China and we are delighted to welcome Cathay Pacific – one of the world’s premier airlines – to Gatwick.

"The new flights mark an important milestone in the growth of the Gatwick long haul network, which now more than ever provides the UK economy with vital routes into the world’s most important markets."

Cathay Pacific and its sister airline, Cathay Dragon, now connect to 22 destinations on the Chinese mainland from Hong Kong International, and this expansion provides vital connections for UK businesses trading with China.

Neil Glenn, Cathay Pacific’s general manager in Europe, said: "We are committed to providing our passengers with greater choice and flexibility, and this new non-stop service from Gatwick to Hong Kong is testament to this.

"With 2016 marking Cathay Pacific’s 70th anniversary, we are proud to now offer passengers three non-stop routes from the UK to Hong Kong, and then beyond."