Air China has cancelled flights between Beijing and Pyongyang due to low demand, closing one of the few routes into North Korea.

The state-owned airline confirmed it had “indefinitely suspended” its route between the Chinese capital and the isolated nation this week.

An official in the company’s Beijing-based press office, who only gave his name as “Ding”, told Reuters flights had been suspended because: “business was not good”.

He declined to comment on when the service could resume.

Air China had been the only airline apart from the North Korean state’s own Air Koryo to operate a route into and out of Pyongyang.

The firm had provided flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays since it launched the service in 2008.

However, the route has suffered from frequent suspensions since its launch, according to Chinese state media.

The suspension of flights by China’s national flag carrier follows US President Donald Trump’s declaration North Korea is a "state sponsor of terror", triggering further sanctions against the regime.

In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

Mr Trump told reporters on Monday the decision “should have happened years ago” and demanded Pyongyang: “end its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development”.

The decision was labelled a “serious provocation” by the North Korean regime.

The secretive nation’s state media outlet KCNA accused the US yesterday of having: “openly revealed to the whole world its intention to destroy our ideology and system by using all kinds of means and methods”.