A NEW report shows that the flight service between Manchester and Beijing is a major catalyst for the northern economy.

The North of England is reaping the rewards of its ever-stronger ties with China, according to newly-released research.

Driven by two years of direct flights between Manchester Airport and Beijing, levels of growth in trade, tourism and knowledge exchange between the North and the Far East are outstripping national averages.

Chinese companies are increasing their investments in the North of England, furthering a trend sparked by President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Manchester nearly three years ago.

This ‘golden era’ of relations between the North and China was revealed in an independent study launched at the British Embassy in Beijing by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

The findings of the study by independent consultants include: The Manchester-Beijing route has grown faster than any other UK-China route that has been in operation for more than 12 months, and export values from Manchester Airport to China grew 41 per cent to £1.29bn in the two years after route launch, while national values fell 30 per cent.

Mr Burnham launched the report ahead of participating in the World Economic Forum, in Tianjin, where he was due to meet with global leaders and speak on a range of subjects, including smart cities, healthcare and green manufacturing.

He said: “Greater Manchester has an ambition to sit at the heart of a productive, culturally rich and internationally competitive Northern economy.

“To do that it is vital the North has strong connections with high-growth markets like China, which we have been working hard to develop over the past five years.

“Central to our ambition are direct air links, and the China Dividend study demonstrates that good connectivity is not just about getting people and products from A to B, but the wider impacts that they have on so many aspects of peoples’ lives at both ends of the route.

“All parts of the North are benefitting from the economic, social and cultural connections that have forged as a result of the region’s first ever direct service to mainland China launching two years ago.

“We’ve really seen the success of the first route to China from Manchester Airport, so we hope to see more being added in the future.”