Chinese airline Capital Airlines, owned by Chinese aviation group HNA, has filed an application with the Civil Aviation Administration of China to operate what the carrier says would be Mainland China’s first direct scheduled air service to Portugal, Travel Daily reported on Monday.

According to the media outlet, the application refers to twice-weekly flights between the Chinese city of Hangzhou and the Portuguese capital Lisbon, via Beijing.

If the request were approved, the new route would launch on December this year, the report added.

Earlier this month, one of the private shareholders of Portuguese airline TAP, businessman Humberto Pedrosa, said that HNA would buy an initial 7 percent stake in Atlantic Gateway, a private consortium that currently owns 50 percent of TAP. He added the Chinese group’s interest in TAP would involve directly- and indirectly-held shareholdings, which ultimately could amount to as much as 20 percent of the carrier.

TAP’s private investors and the Portuguese Government signed a memorandum of understanding this month. The agreement paves way for the Government to increase its stake in the carrier to 50 percent, from the 39 percent it currently holds.