China's northeast county Mohe in Heilongjiang province has begun flights to Beijing. The regular flights, which started on June 21, are operated by China Southern Airlines.

They will run between Beijing, Harbin and Mohe, shortening travel time between the Sino-Russian border county of Mohe and other cities on the mainland. It's also expected to boost trade and tourism between China and Russia.

Mohe is often referred to as China's "North Pole" and boasts rich natural and tourism resources.

To improve transportation links to the county, Heilongjiang province started building Mohe Airport in June 2006, finishing this past April. The new facility boasts a 2000 square-meter terminal and is designed to handle up to 120,000 passengers a year.