ATLANTA -- Gov. Sonny Perdue is in China on Monday to start a weeklong economic development mission.

Perdue left for Shanghai on Sunday morning on the inaugural nonstop Delta Air Lines flight to the bustling Chinese city. It is Delta's first nonstop flight to China in the airline's history. It's also the only nonstop flight to China from the Southeast.

Joining Perdue on the flight was a trade delegation of about 40 university administrators, economic officials, politicians, business executives, reporters and others.

Officials hope it could also jump-start the push to locate a Chinese consulate in metro Atlanta, which is home to about 50,000 Chinese.

The delegation will visit with Chinese officials, officially open the Georgia Business Advisory Center and take tours of local attractions.

The group will return on Saturday.