Qatar Airways has started cargo flights between Hong Kong and São Paulo in Brazil for Cainiao Smart Logistics Network Ltd, an arm of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd, the China Daily says.

Cainiao announced in writing that the first of the weekly flights took off from Hong Kong last Saturday and landed at Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo two days later, the Chinese state-run newspaper reported on Monday.

The report says the maiden flight carried merchandise retailed online such as beauty products, fashions, jewellery, watches, appliances, toys and sports gear.

The aircraft used can carry 100 tonnes of freight, the report says.

The announcement by his company quotes Cainiao General Manager for Export Logistics William Xiong as describing the rate of growth in the business of retailing online in Brazil as phenomenal, the China Daily says.