NANJING -- China Eastern Airlines plans to open a route between Los Angeles and a hub city in East China as the number of Chinese visitors to the United States grows.

The 15-hour flight will link the second largest American city with Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu Province from June 30.

The world's two largest economies are seeing their people develop deeper connections as economic relations become closer. Last year, about 2.2 million Chinese visited the United States, 24 percent up on 2013.

The two countries increased the validity period of tourist and business visas from one year to 10 years last November to promote public engagement.