Cathay Pacific's customer travel director said the airline wants to contribute to the "Air Silk Road" by linking up with the Middle East.

Erica Peng said Cathay's flights from Hong Kong to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia – relaunched last October – have been quite popular, with business travellers accounting for 70 percent of the customers.

She told RTHK's "Government and You" programme that the airline has other routes to the Middle East too, and it wants to bring people from the region to the mainland, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

"We see in China's partnership platform, we have more chances to explore different business opportunities," she said.

"On the other hand, we can also help promote Hong Kong – that we need to tell friends from Belt and Road countries that the SAR is a tremendous global hub for them."