Air China, which issued a notice last month that it would begin nonstop service in January between Beijing and Honolulu, celebrated the occasion at a gala Tuesday night that included airline and embassy officials, travel agencies, Hawaii exhibitors and hula dancers.

The new service, initially reported in a Sept. 13 story in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, will be three days a week and begin on Jan. 21.

Air China and the Hawaii Tourism Authority jointly announced the new route during an event at the Kempinski Hotel in Beijing. The airline’s sixth destination to North America will give it a four-month head start on Hawaiian Airlines, which plans to begin three-days-a-week service between Beijing and Honolulu in April.

Hawaiian Airlines and Air China will join China Eastern Airlines in offering nonstop service to the islands. China Eastern flies three times a week between Honolulu and Shanghai and plans to increase its frequency to five times a week in December.