China expresses regret over US decision to ban its passenger flights from June 16

Beijing expressed regret over United States’s decision to ban passenger flights arriving from China for alleged violation of Air Transport Agreement. US Transport Department had said in a statement that it ordered suspension of Air Transport Agreement scheduled passenger flights of Chinese carriers to and from United States, starting June 16.

department accused China of failing to permit US carriers to exercise ir bilateral rights to conduct passenger air service to China. It said that four Chinese carriers and US carriers operate scheduled passenger flights currently between United States and China. It furr added that US carriers have asked to resume passenger service beginning June 1, and Chinese government’s failure to approve ir requests is a violation of our Air Transport Agreement.

“ Department will continue to eng our Chinese counterparts so both U.S. and Chinese carriers can fully exercise ir bilateral rights. In meantime, we will allow Chinese carriers to operate same number of scheduled passenger flights as Chinese government allows ours,” it said.

Read: Amid Growing Bilateral Tensions, US Suspends All Flights By Chinese Airlines From June 16

Policy adjustment anunced

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that administration fo civil aviation has been communicating with US Transport Department on arrangements regarding passenger flights from both sides, and two sides already made some progress with policy adjustments.

China has w said that it will allow foreign airlines, that are currently blocked from operating due to COVID-19 concerns, to resume limited flights. latest spat between two countries is rooted partly on Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) deciding to impose a limit for foreign airlines based on ir activity as of March 12.  

Read: China Allows Limited US Flights To Operate Despite Restrictions On Its Airlines

Read: On Possibility Of Intl Flights Resumption, Hardeep Puri Flags Concern Over COVID Situation

(Im: MFA China)