This is the terrifying moment tourists at a ski resort held onto their seats as strong winds violently shook their open cable cars.

The incident was captured by skiers at the General's Mountain Ski Resort in Altay, in the Xinjiang region of north-western China.

Phone footage from December 14 shows a cable car swinging left and right in mid-air with several passengers on board.

The tourists sat trapped in the temporarily halted cars as strong winds battered the region, threatening to knock them to the ground.

Unable to go back or get off, they sat helplessly swinging in the air, waiting for the weather to stabilise so the cable car could resume operating.

Staff later told local media the service was halted due to the sudden, powerful winds to prevent an accident from occurring.

They assured that the passengers were safely disembarked soon after.

Staff added that operations might be suspended if the bad weather persists, adding: 'In these past two days, the cable cars for the night session have not been operational.'

No injuries have been reported.