Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Taipei-based China Airlines (CAL) announced Tuesday it will be flying a new route between Taoyuan and Da Nang in central Vietnam beginning on Jan. 2, 2023, flying five weekly flights to the destination.

CAL, one of Taiwan's major international carriers, said in a statement it will use the A321neos it recently took delivery of to fly the 3-hour flight between Taoyuan International Airport and Da Nang International Airport every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Da Nang, the fourth-largest city in Vietnam, marks the halfway point between Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south and is a convenient hub for exploring attractions in central Vietnam, including the ancient town of Hoi An, the imperial city of Hue and the Ba Na Hills, the statement said.

With the new route, CAL is hoping to boost its presence in Vietnam, where it already serves Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on a daily basis, and the Southeast Asia market, it said.

CAL is also seeking to attract more transit travelers flying between Vietnam and the United States, given that the carrier provides nearly 30 weekly flights between Taoyuan and North America.

As Taiwan reopens its borders in mid-October by ending strict quarantines for all arrivals, CAL expects to increase its passenger capacity by 50 percent in the fourth quarter by resuming flights or adding new routes to Southeast Asian destinations, it said.

Transit passengers are another important target, on routes between North America/Europe and Southeast Asia, Europe and Oceania, and Oceania and Northeast Asia, it said.