China has cancelled a chartered flight to pick up 120 or so stranded Chinese citizens in Mexico, flight operator said late on Sunday.

China Southern Airlines said normal flight CZ327 has left for Los Angeles on Sunday night, but it would not fly to lift the Chinese nationals in Mexico as earlier planned, the center of the influenza A/H1N1 outbreak.

The Guangzhou-based airline added that it was fully prepared for the charter mission, but it was up to the government as to if and when to implement it.

A 25-year-old Mexican man, who arrived in Shanghai on Thursday aboard flight Aeromexico 098, was later diagnosed with influenza A/H1N1 in Hong Kong.

The Mexican became Hong Kong's first confirmed case of influenza A/H1N1 infection on Friday. It was also the first such case in Asia.

Following the outbreak, the Chinese government suspended flights from Mexico to Shanghai starting on Saturday. It said it depends on the flu outbreak situation as when to resume the flights.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2009)