China’s Hainan Airlines has shifted its Gulf operations from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

The airline will now operate its twice-weekly flight from Beijing to Luanda in Angola via Etihad Airways’ hub in Abu Dhabi.

The Chinese carrier already has a codesharing agreement with Etihad Airways, which was signed in December 2011.

By moving its hub to Abu Dhabi, Hainan customers will be able to connect from Beijing to Berlin and London and from Cairo, the Maldives and Casablanca to Beijing.

Hainan’s move follows Indonesian airline Garuda’s decision to move its operations to Abu Dhabi from 2 December.