China Eastern Airlines, in an effort to develop intercontinental services to secondary mainland cities, on Dec. 24 will launch services between Wenzhou Longwan International Airport in eastern China and Rome Fiumicino Airport in Italy. The airline initially will operate a twice-weekly Airbus A330 services on the city pair, says the head of China Eastern’s Rome office, Chen Xiao. According to Wenzhou Airport Group, Rome was chosen because Italy is home to a large number of Europe’s Chinese immigrant community.

BEIJING — South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff in November will consider a navy request to build three air-defense destroyers next decade, doubling its force of ships equipped with the U.S. Aegis system. The proposal is far from a done deal, however, because—even if it is backed by the military—it also will need government and parliamentary approval. The navy made the request to the joint chiefs of staff a year ago, local media report, citing military officials who add that the program is on the agenda for a meeting early next month.

In a possible sign of further liberalization of its commercial aviation sector, the Chinese government has permitted two privately-owned airlines to join the busy Taiwan market. The country’s leading budget carrier, Spring Airlines, says that from Oct. 27 it will operate three weekly flights between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport in Taiwan’s second-largest city. Juneyao Airlines will follow on Nov. 1, with a three weekly service on the same city pair.