In a statement published on its official website, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said that the flight between Lisbon and the Chinese city of Xi'an, operated by Beijing Capital Airlines, will be suspended from 31 May.

"After the suspension period, the operation may be resumed, with a frequency of one flight per week," the statement said.

The Asian country, where Covid-19 broke out in December, was the first to contain the outbreak, so it has come to fear a resurgence due to cases from abroad, mainly Chinese trying to return to the country.

Chinese authorities reduced overseas air links at the end of March last year as the new coronavirus spread around the world.

Beijing Capital Airlines resumed flights between Portugal and China at the end of August last year.