Flying straight to China in 12 hours is starting to look like a reality as the government hopes to establish a direct travel link with one of the country’s many provinces in the coming months.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat would not reveal which province the government has in its sight, saying this would be premature, but he did rule out a flight to the capital, Beijing.

“We’re exploring what province would be best suited for Malta and we’re in direct discussions with the different provincial governments,” he said, giving a round-up of his three-day trip to China.

He said that Malta was also working to speed up the granting of visas for Chinese visitors and pushing to have the island better marketed.

“We cannot sell Malta as a sole destination so we’re encouraging cruise liner companies to put together a specialised package for Chinese tourists where, for example, they could holiday on the island for three days then set out on a cruise to southern Europe and the Mediterranean,” he added.