HARBIN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A cargo air route connecting Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province with Los Angeles opened Tuesday.

Flight CZ448, operated by China Southern Airlines, was the first cargo flight to travel from Heilongjiang to the United States.

The flight, operated by a Boeing 777-200F with a maximum load of 105 tonnes, takes about 11.5 hours and is scheduled as once a week, according to China Southern Airlines.

The air route was opened to meet the increasing demand for faster logistics and more efficient e-commerce, according to the airline.