China’s national carrier has resumed direct flights between Beijing and North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, after a six-year suspension, shortly after passenger train services between the two cities restarted.

The Air China flight arrived on Monday and was received by Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun along with other diplomats, Chinese state media reported.

Passenger train services between the two countries resumed on March 12. Both flights and train services had been halted since early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

North Korea’s national airline, Air Koryo, had already restarted flights between the capitals in 2023.

During the pandemic, North Korea banned all foreign tourists but has recently begun easing restrictions. A Russian tour group was allowed to enter the country in 2024.

Before the travel ban, Chinese tourists accounted for about 90 percent of all visitors to North Korea. The delay in allowing Chinese tour groups to return had raised questions among observers.

China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a key ally, although Beijing has repeatedly expressed concern over Pyongyang’s missile tests, which could potentially target South Korea and the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Beijing in September to attend a large military parade, marking the first time in decades that a North Korean leader joined such an event in China.