HANOI, July 9 (Xinhua) — China’s Hainan Airlines will soon launch a direct flight between Haikou, capital of China’s southern Hainan province and the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi, an official of Hainan province said here on Thursday.

    Luo Baoming, governor of China’s Hainan province, said Hainan and Vietnam are strengthening transportation linkage to serve the two-way trade and development.

    The sea routes linking Hainan’s Yangpu port respectively with Vietnamese northern Haiphong city and southern Ho Chi Minh City will be launched in October this year, said Luo at a trade forum held here.

    The forum is attended by over 300 government and business representatives of Hainan and Vietnam.

    Hainan and Vietnam boasted huge cooperation potential in tourism, chemical industry and modern agriculture, said Luo.

    Eight cooperation deals were inked at the forum, covering areas including tourism, agriculture and seafood processing.