Seoul, Sep 15 (IANS): North Korea has resumed flights between Pyongyang and the Chinese city of Dalian amid signs of improving ties between the allies, the media reported on Saturday.

According to local tourism agencies, a passenger plane of Air Koryo, the North's flag carrier, landed in the airport in Dalian on Thursday and returned to Pyongyang with nearly 70 people on board, Yonhap News Agency reported.

This marked the first North Korean airplane that had flown between the two cities since November 2006.

There will be such flights every Thursday and Sunday.

The resumption of the Pyongyang-Dalian flights may reflect improving bilateral ties between North Korea and China after chilled relations over the North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently sent Li Zhanshu, Beijing's third-ranked official, as his special envoy to Pyongyang on the occasion of the North's 70th founding anniversary.

Li was seated next to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a military parade staged last week, and the North also hosted an art performance and banquet exclusively for Li and his delegation in an apparent bid to emphasize friendly ties between the two countries.