China hits out at US proposal to ban Chinese carriers from Russian airspace
Beijing urges US to consider how its policies harm American firms instead of ‘unjustifiably suppressing’ others and burdening global consumers
US transport regulators proposed the ban on Thursday in a bid to eliminate what they described as an unfair advantage enjoyed by Chinese carriers flying shorter, cheaper routes via Russia.
The Chinese foreign ministry said such restrictions would be detrimental to people-to-people exchanges with the United States, and urged Washington to consider the effects of the policy at home.
“We would suggest that the US side reflect on how its own policies are affecting American companies, rather than unjustifiably suppressing other countries and making global consumers pay the price,” ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.
Russia has barred US airlines and many other foreign carriers from its airspace, in retaliation for Washington and several European countries banning Russian flights over their territory following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian airspace offers the shortest routes connecting Asia with Europe and North America, so being able to fly over Russia means shorter flight times, lower fuel consumption and reduced operating costs for airlines.