US suspends all flights by Chinese airlines

WASHINGTON: The United States has ordered the suspension of all flights by Chinese airlines into and out of the country after China failed to allow American carriers to resume services.

The move is the result of growing friction between the world’s two biggest economies amid the coronavirus crisis and in the wake of a two-year trade war that has not been fully resolved.

The US action takes effect from June 16 but could be implemented sooner if President Donald Trump orders it. It is applied to seven Chinese civilian carriers, although only four are running service to US cities including Air China and China Eastern Airlines.

“US carriers have asked to resume passenger service, beginning June 1st. The Chinese government’s failure to approve their requests is a violation of our Air Transport Agreement,” the US Department of Transportation (DOT) said in a statement.

US air carriers sharply reduced or suspended service to China amid the COVID-19 pandemic. United and Delta submitted applications at the beginning of May to resume flights but have been unable to receive authorisation from Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC).

The latest spat centers partially on the CAAC deciding to determine its limit on foreign airlines based on their activity as of March 12. US carriers had suspended all flights while Chinese-flagged flights continued.

The department also said there are indications Chinese airlines are using charter flights to get around the limit of one flight a week to increase their advantage over US carriers.

“Our overriding goal is not the perpetuation of this situation, but rather an improved environment wherein the carriers of both parties will be able to exercise fully their bilateral rights,” the order said.

In early January 2020, before the pandemic struck, US and Chinese carriers operated approximately 325 weekly flights between the two countries. Trump has blamed China for the US coronavirus outbreak and criticised the country in a speech last week over a new security law in Hong Kong.

China has mocked the US stance on Hong Kong in light of civil rights protests across the US following the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man.

“Racism against ethnic minorities in the US is a chronic disease of American society,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said earlier this week. “The current situation reflects once more the severity of the problems of racism and police violence in the US,” he told reporters in Beijing.

Airlines have been among the hardest hit by the global pandemic as air transport been virtually shut down, forcing many to announce massive layoffs.

The fight over air space comes after the US imposed restrictions on Chinese telecom giant Huawei and ordered a probe into the actions of Chinese companies listed on American financial markets.