A dedicated direct flight taking 369 students from China landed in Northern Ireland's Belfast on Saturday, allowing them to arrive ahead of the start of the academic year amid travel disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chartered by the Queen's University Belfast (QUB), one of the first universities in Britain, the one-way flight brought new and returning students from China to campus, to reduce anxiety and stress about traveling for the new semester.

The direct flight took off from Beijing Friday to Belfast and has brought back more than one in four Chinese students registered at the university.

All students were required to take a COVID-19 test 48 hours prior to departure and need to provide a negative result in order to board the plane.

The university also organized airport pick-up, transport to their campus on a fleet of dedicated coaches, and quarantine support. A member of the university staff was also on the flight to answer questions from students.

Zhang Meifang, China's consul general in Belfast and Ian Greer, president and vice-chancellor of Queen's University Belfast, were at Belfast International Airport to welcome the arriving students.

"Affected by the global pandemic, studying abroad in this year is different from previous years," Zhang said in a welcome speech, adding that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the QUB's charter flight plan.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, The Civil Aviation Administration of China and other departments have worked closely with our consulate, to actively practice 'diplomacy for the people', to ensure everyone's safety and make their study overseas journey smooth," she said, and also thanked Queen's University for taking the unusual step to show its commitment to students from China.

According to Zhang, the charter flight is also the first direct commercial flight from China to Northern Ireland, which marks a milestone in the cultural exchanges between the two sides.

Greer said in his welcome message to the Chinese students that he is delighted they have made the journey safely, adding that the university has put in place a comprehensive range of measures, in line with public health guidelines, to ensure the campus is a safe place to live, work, and study.

"Your teaching will be delivered by a connected learning approach. You will be taught face-to-face with the relevant social distancing and hygiene measures applied at all times, complemented by online classes when necessary," he told the students.

There are currently more than 1,000 Chinese students studying at Queen's University Belfast.

Alderman Frank McCoubrey, Lord Mayor of Belfast, said in a video to the overseas students that "We understand what a huge decision this must have been to leave your homes and country in the current climate. We are delighted by your choice and can ensure you of a friendly welcome and an unforgettable time here in the city."

With international travel badly impacted by the pandemic, a number of British universities are chartering flights from China, India and Africa to encourage international students to return in this academic year.

A recent survey conducted by QS, the higher education think tank which compiles the World University Rankings, showed that only one in seven overseas students due to study in Britain this year still plans to come.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the number of students from China studying in UK higher education surpassed 120,000 last year for the first time, accounting for more than one in every three non-EU students. And the total number of Chinese students studying in the UK is now more than 220,000, Chinese government figures show.

(Cover: A dedicated direct flight taking 369 students from China landed in Northern Ireland's Belfast, UK, September 19, 2020. /Photo via China Daily)