TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — EVA Air President Clay Sun (孫嘉明) announced Monday that the airline will launch service to Washington, DC, in July.

The Taoyuan-Washington route will begin in July with four flights per week, operated using the newest Boeing 787-9, CNA reported. Departure and arrival times are expected to be similar to the New York route, though details are still being finalized, Sun said.

Once the service launches, EVA Air will have 10 destinations in North America, with 98 flights per week. The new route is expected to strengthen the airline's North American network by covering a comparatively weaker area in its service map.

Sun said Washington, DC, is the political center of the US and also a hub for financial technology and the defense industry.

Sun also outlined plans to increase flights to other destinations, including Milan, Italy, which will increase to one daily flight starting Jan. 16; Aomori, Japan, with five to seven flights per week starting March 29; and Busan, South Korea, which will increase to 10 flights per week from Feb. 23 to March 28.