China's aviation regulator - the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) - said on Friday (Apr 19) that it had opened new air routes to the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou with flight paths situated very close to the Taiwan-controlled islands of Kinmen and Matsu.

China's aviation regulator - the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) - said on Friday (Apr 19) that it had opened new air routes to the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou with flight paths situated very close to the Taiwan-controlled islands of Kinmen and Matsu. Citing a statement from the CAAC, the news agency Reuters reported that these routes were now operational. The statement added that from May 16, the aviation regulator said that it would "further optimise" airspace around Fuzhou airport, but did not elaborate on how it would do so. Also read | Taiwan hits back at Chinese embassy’s criticism of WION interview The statement further said that the changes to the flight paths would help meet the development needs of flights along the Chinese coast, ensuring flight safety, enhancing the ability to respond to thunderstorms, and improving normal flight operations. Taiwan condemns move Taiwan condemned Beijing's announcement by saying the decision to open new air routes that run close to two Taiwanese-controlled islands was a flight safety risk taken without consultation. "They want us to cave in, make compromises and change our behaviour," a senior official from Taipei told Reuters. Previous opposition by Taiwan In January, Taiwan expressed anger after China unilaterally changed a flight path called M503 close to the sensitive median line in the Taiwan Strait. The median line has for years served as an unofficial demarcation between Chinese-claimed Taiwan and China and was not crossed by combat aircraft from either side. However, Beijing has said it does not recognise the line's existence and Chinese warplanes regularly fly over it. In 2018, Taiwan complained about the M503 route, saying China opened the northbound part of it without first informing Taipei in contravention of a 2015 deal to first discuss such flight paths. Also watch | China's Xi Jinping hosts former Taiwan president Ma Ying-Jeou in Beijing × Meanwhile, China had said in January that it was opening routes from west to east on the two flight paths from Xiamen and Fuzhou, but had not until now announced when they would go into operation. The islands of Kinmen and Matsu both have regular flights to Taiwan, and Chinese aircraft are not permitted by Taiwan to fly in the airspace Taipei controls around these islands. (With inputs from agencies)

China opens new air routes ‘very close’ to Taiwan-controlled islands; Taipei reacts

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-japan-in-fresh-spat-over-intelligence-deal-264297">South Korea and Japan</a> are setting aside historical grievances to redraw responsibilities for air traffic control over the East China Sea following recent near misses.

Responsibility in the "AKARA corridor" through South Korean airspace is currently split, with South Korean controllers shepherding north-south flights, and Japan's directing east-west flights, many of them in and out of Shanghai.

But South Korean and Japanese air traffic controllers operate on different radio frequencies, making communications more difficult for pilots who may be dealing with emergency in-flight situations, or needing to change altitude to avoid turbulence or bad weather.

An agreement in principle has been reached for South Korea to take over Japan's role, the United Nations aviation agency said on Wednesday night.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-overtakes-united-states-in-number-of-diplomatic-missions-264784">China</a> was included in the agreement, as its air traffic controllers currently hand over to Japanese controllers in the corridor, and will in future hand over to South Korean controllers.

"The proposal we have put forward has been accepted by the three states," International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council President Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu said in an interview with Reuters. “The glory actually goes to the states who were able to work together to find a solution.”

Aliu said he expects the agreement to be formalised in January or February 2020 and would take effect in April.

The compromise comes despite decades of strained relations between Seoul and Tokyo over their wartime past, exacerbated in recent months by a simmering trade dispute. South Korean airlines have cut flights to Japan due to a plunge in passenger demand.

Aliu declined comment on relations between the two countries.

Airline trade group International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a statement that it knows the deal "will have a positive impact on safety and efficiency."

The dangers were laid bare by two recent near misses between planes that were blamed on conflicting air traffic control rights. Earlier this year, two commercial aircraft flew too close, and in 2018 a FedEx plane nearly collided with two Korean low-cost carrier jets.

"The risk posed by the current configuration is known, and generally well mitigated," said one source familiar with the ICAO-led talks and the region. "However, mistakes can happen, and two errors, one in 2018 and another in 2019, highlighted this concern."

The present arrangements were drawn up in 1983, when South Korea had no diplomatic relations with China and there were only around 10 flights a day in the corridor.

Since then, the corridor has become one of the busiest portions of airspace in the Asia-Pacific region, with 800 flights daily. Montreal-based ICAO recognised the urgent need to streamline traffic control, with the corridor expected to become even busier next year as Japan prepares to receive more traffic ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“I personally got concerned about the situation," said Aliu, who was directly involved in the talks. "Because as you know, we will have the Tokyo Olympics coming and that will also mean many more flights.”

Under the new deal, Japan will benefit from an additional air route, Aliu said.

A deal could lead to further additional routes, with an airway between China and Korea to be discussed after the Olympics.

Andrew Herdman, director-general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said the prospective changes would help capacity and operational efficiency.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China could not be reached for comment. An official at South Korea's Transport Ministry said earlier on Wednesday it had raised the air traffic control issue with ICAO and remained in negotiations with Japan.

An official at Japan's Transport Ministry said his country was discussing the AKARA corridor with other countries in accordance with ICAO principles.

South Korea and Japan are setting aside historical grievances to redraw responsibilities for air traffic control over the East China Sea following recent near misses.

South Korea and Japan are setting aside historical grievances to redraw responsibilities for air traffic control over the East China Sea following recent near misses. Responsibility in the "AKARA corridor" through South Korean airspace is currently split, with South Korean controllers shepherding north-south flights, and Japan's directing east-west flights, many of them in and out of Shanghai. But South Korean and Japanese air traffic controllers operate on different radio frequencies, making communications more difficult for pilots who may be dealing with emergency in-flight situations, or needing to change altitude to avoid turbulence or bad weather. An agreement in principle has been reached for South Korea to take over Japan's role, the United Nations aviation agency said on Wednesday night. China was included in the agreement, as its air traffic controllers currently hand over to Japanese controllers in the corridor, and will in future hand over to South Korean controllers. "The proposal we have put forward has been accepted by the three states," International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council President Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu said in an interview with Reuters. “The glory actually goes to the states who were able to work together to find a solution.” Aliu said he expects the agreement to be formalised in January or February 2020 and would take effect in April. The compromise comes despite decades of strained relations between Seoul and Tokyo over their wartime past, exacerbated in recent months by a simmering trade dispute. South Korean airlines have cut flights to Japan due to a plunge in passenger demand. Aliu declined comment on relations between the two countries. Airline trade group International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a statement that it knows the deal "will have a positive impact on safety and efficiency." The dangers were laid bare by two recent near misses between planes that were blamed on conflicting air traffic control rights. Earlier this year, two commercial aircraft flew too close, and in 2018 a FedEx plane nearly collided with two Korean low-cost carrier jets. "The risk posed by the current configuration is known, and generally well mitigated," said one source familiar with the ICAO-led talks and the region. "However, mistakes can happen, and two errors, one in 2018 and another in 2019, highlighted this concern." The present arrangements were drawn up in 1983, when South Korea had no diplomatic relations with China and there were only around 10 flights a day in the corridor. Since then, the corridor has become one of the busiest portions of airspace in the Asia-Pacific region, with 800 flights daily. Montreal-based ICAO recognised the urgent need to streamline traffic control, with the corridor expected to become even busier next year as Japan prepares to receive more traffic ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. “I personally got concerned about the situation," said Aliu, who was directly involved in the talks. "Because as you know, we will have the Tokyo Olympics coming and that will also mean many more flights.” Under the new deal, Japan will benefit from an additional air route, Aliu said. A deal could lead to further additional routes, with an airway between China and Korea to be discussed after the Olympics. Andrew Herdman, director-general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said the prospective changes would help capacity and operational efficiency. The Civil Aviation Administration of China could not be reached for comment. An official at South Korea's Transport Ministry said earlier on Wednesday it had raised the air traffic control issue with ICAO and remained in negotiations with Japan. An official at Japan's Transport Ministry said his country was discussing the AKARA corridor with other countries in accordance with ICAO principles.

South Korea, Japan set to back air traffic deal over East China Sea

Cathay Pacific said Saturday it will comply with new rules from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-orders-cathay-pacific-to-suspend-staff-backing-hong-kong-protests-241882">China banning staff who support Hong Kong's protesters</a> from working on flights to the mainland or through its airspace.

The Hong Kong carrier also confirmed it had suspended a pilot charged with rioting and fired two ground staff for misconduct apparently related to the protest movement that has engulfed the city.

China's aviation regulator on Friday had ordered the airline to hand over identifying information for staff on mainland-bound flights starting Sunday.

It warned that staff deemed to support <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-fire-tear-gas-during-another-weekend-of-protests-242034">Hong Kong's "illegal protests"</a> were banned from flights landing in mainland China or travelling through its airspace.

CEO Rupert Hogg said in a message to employees on Saturday that the carrier was obliged to comply with the new rules set out by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

"Cathay Pacific Group's operations in mainland China are key to our business. In addition to flying in and out of mainland China, a large number of our routes both to Europe and to the USA also fly through mainland China airspace," Hogg wrote.

"We are therefore legally required to follow CAAC regulations and, as is the case with any notices issued by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over us, we must and will comply."

Watch: Several families join pro-democracy Hong Kong protest

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Cathay appears to have become a target of Beijing's ire after some of its crew joined protests and media reported one of its pilots had been charged with rioting.

Pro-democracy protesters have staged two months of increasingly violent protests in the semi-autonomous financial hub, which Beijing has viewed as a challenge to its control.

The carrier's chairman John Slosar earlier this week defended his staff's right to freedom of thought, saying "we certainly wouldn't dream of telling them what they have to think about something".

But Hogg cautioned staff about their behaviour.

"Though people may share different views, it is essential that we all respect each other, our customers and members of the public," he wrote.

"We have zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour that affects the safe operation of our flights and the service experience we provide to our customers."

Cathay separately confirmed to reporters that it had suspended at the end of July a pilot who has been accused of rioting after allegedly participating in the Hong Kong protests.

It also said two airport ground staff had been fired, without specifying why, but local media reported that they were accused of leaking the travel details of a Hong Kong police soccer team that was travelling to the mainland.

Cathay Pacific said Saturday it will comply with new rules from China banning staff who support Hong Kong's protesters from working on flights to the mainland or through its airspace.

Cathay Pacific said Saturday it will comply with new rules from China banning staff who support Hong Kong's protesters from working on flights to the mainland or through its airspace. The Hong Kong carrier also confirmed it had suspended a pilot charged with rioting and fired two ground staff for misconduct apparently related to the protest movement that has engulfed the city. China's aviation regulator on Friday had ordered the airline to hand over identifying information for staff on mainland-bound flights starting Sunday. It warned that staff deemed to support Hong Kong's "illegal protests" were banned from flights landing in mainland China or travelling through its airspace. CEO Rupert Hogg said in a message to employees on Saturday that the carrier was obliged to comply with the new rules set out by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). "Cathay Pacific Group's operations in mainland China are key to our business. In addition to flying in and out of mainland China, a large number of our routes both to Europe and to the USA also fly through mainland China airspace," Hogg wrote. "We are therefore legally required to follow CAAC regulations and, as is the case with any notices issued by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over us, we must and will comply." Watch: Several families join pro-democracy Hong Kong protest × Cathay appears to have become a target of Beijing's ire after some of its crew joined protests and media reported one of its pilots had been charged with rioting. Pro-democracy protesters have staged two months of increasingly violent protests in the semi-autonomous financial hub, which Beijing has viewed as a challenge to its control. The carrier's chairman John Slosar earlier this week defended his staff's right to freedom of thought, saying "we certainly wouldn't dream of telling them what they have to think about something". But Hogg cautioned staff about their behaviour. "Though people may share different views, it is essential that we all respect each other, our customers and members of the public," he wrote. "We have zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour that affects the safe operation of our flights and the service experience we provide to our customers." Cathay separately confirmed to reporters that it had suspended at the end of July a pilot who has been accused of rioting after allegedly participating in the Hong Kong protests. It also said two airport ground staff had been fired, without specifying why, but local media reported that they were accused of leaking the travel details of a Hong Kong police soccer team that was travelling to the mainland.

Cathay to comply with China rules over Hong Kong protests: CEO Rupert Hogg

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/china-orders-its-airlines-to-suspend-use-of-boeing-737-max-aircraft-202485&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjZqZGQxNThAhUK3Y8KHbTNDxkQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3muiyNBGeh4YlB7xnviVYL">China</a>'s aviation regulator said on Tuesday that it had set up a task force to review design changes to the Boeing Co 737 MAX that had been submitted by the planemaker after the fleet was grounded last month.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has reverted to Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on issues regarding the aircraft's airworthiness and is waiting for their response, the Chinese regulator said in a statement on its website.

China was the first country to ground the newest version of Boeing's workhorse 737 models last month following a deadly <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopian-plane-crash-investigators-recover-black-boxes-from-boeing-737-max-8-202673&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjr_b2fxNThAhXG4nMBHXvNAd0QFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3UCZCIa7kIQ40D9J4tHQFH">Ethiopian Airlines crash</a> on March 10.

Boeing filed an application on March 15 through the FAA to obtain an airworthiness certificate from CAAC, the Chinese regulator said in the statement that summarised remarks from a monthly briefing.

CAAC said it had since set up a task force to review changes submitted by Boeing in accordance with a bilateral agreement between the United States and China.

The Chinese regulator did not specify the changes submitted. Boeing is planning to update the software on an anti-stall system linked to the Ethiopian Airlines crash and an earlier one of Indonesia's Lion Air but the planemaker has not yet submitted the update to FAA for approval.

CAAC is one of several regulators taking part in an FAA review panel on the 737 MAX which is expected to start this month.

The Chinese regulator said one of its pilot experts and one expert on aircraft certification would join the panel.

CAAC said it would make sure that every 737 MAX undergoes the necessary design changes and every pilot receives the necessary training before the fleet returns to service.

Chinese airlines operated 97 of the 371 737 MAX jets in service before the grounding, the most of any country, according to Flightglobal data.

China's aviation regulator said on Tuesday that it had set up a task force to review design changes to the Boeing Co 737 MAX that had been submitted by the planemaker after the fleet was grounded last month.

China's aviation regulator said on Tuesday that it had set up a task force to review design changes to the Boeing Co 737 MAX that had been submitted by the planemaker after the fleet was grounded last month. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has reverted to Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on issues regarding the aircraft's airworthiness and is waiting for their response, the Chinese regulator said in a statement on its website. China was the first country to ground the newest version of Boeing's workhorse 737 models last month following a deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10. Boeing filed an application on March 15 through the FAA to obtain an airworthiness certificate from CAAC, the Chinese regulator said in the statement that summarised remarks from a monthly briefing. CAAC said it had since set up a task force to review changes submitted by Boeing in accordance with a bilateral agreement between the United States and China. The Chinese regulator did not specify the changes submitted. Boeing is planning to update the software on an anti-stall system linked to the Ethiopian Airlines crash and an earlier one of Indonesia's Lion Air but the planemaker has not yet submitted the update to FAA for approval. CAAC is one of several regulators taking part in an FAA review panel on the 737 MAX which is expected to start this month. The Chinese regulator said one of its pilot experts and one expert on aircraft certification would join the panel. CAAC said it would make sure that every 737 MAX undergoes the necessary design changes and every pilot receives the necessary training before the fleet returns to service. Chinese airlines operated 97 of the 371 737 MAX jets in service before the grounding, the most of any country, according to Flightglobal data.

China forms task force to review design changes to Boeing 737 MAX

China's aviation regulator said on Monday it had ordered Chinese airlines to suspend their Boeing Co 737 MAX aircraft operations by 6 pm following a deadly crash of a 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines.

An <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopian-airlines-boeing-737-plane-crashes-on-way-to-kenya-with-149-passengers-on-board-202327">Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8</a> bound for Nairobi crashed minutes after take-off on Sunday, killing all 157 people on board.

It was the second crash of the 737 MAX, the latest version of Boeing's workhorse narrowbody jet that first entered service in 2017.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/search-for-black-box-of-crashed-ethiopian-airliner-continues-202461">Also read:&nbsp;Search for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/search-for-black-box-of-crashed-ethiopian-airliner-continues-202461">black</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/search-for-black-box-of-crashed-ethiopian-airliner-continues-202461"> box of crashed Ethiopian airliner continues</a>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EMMza4Qiv40" width="560"></iframe>

In October, a 737 MAX was flown by Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air flying from Jakarta on a domestic flight crashed 13 minutes after take-off, killing all 189 passengers and crew on board.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a statement it would notify airlines as to when they could resume flying the jets after contacting Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration to ensure flight safety.

"Given that two accidents both involved newly delivered Boeing 737-8 planes and happened during take-off phase, they have some degree of similarity," the CAAC said, adding that the order was in line with its principle of zero-tolerance on safety hazards.

The cause of the Indonesian crash is still being investigated. A preliminary report issued in November, before the cockpit voice recorder was recovered, focused on airline maintenance and training and the response of a Boeing anti-stall system to a recently replaced sensor but did not give a reason for the crash.

Chinese airlines have 96 737 MAX jets in service, the state company regulator said on Weibo.

Caijing, a Chinese state-run news outlet that covers finance and economics, said many flights scheduled to use 737 Max planes would instead use the 737-800 models.

A Boeing spokesman declined to comment.

A US official told Reuters the United States was unsure of what information China was acting on.

The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said there were no plans to follow suit given the 737 MAX had a stellar safety record in the United States and there was a lack of information about the cause of the Ethiopian crash.

SAFETY STANDARDS

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, there were no Boeing 737 Max 8 planes flying over China as of 0043 GMT on Monday.

Most of Air China Ltd's 737 MAX fleet of 15 jets landed on Sunday evening, with the exception of two that landed on Monday morning from international destinations, according to data on FlightRadar24.

It did not list any upcoming scheduled flights for the planes, nor did China Southern Airlines Co, which also has its fleet on the ground.

China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd four 737 MAX jets landed on Sunday evening and no further flights were scheduled until Tuesday, FlightRadar24 data showed.

Cayman Airways has grounded both of its new 737 MAX 8 jets until more information was received, the Cayman Islands airline said in a statement on its website.

Fiji Airways said it had followed a comprehensive induction process for its new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and it had full confidence in the airworthiness of its fleet.

"We continue to ensure that our maintenance and training programme for pilots and engineers meets the highest safety standards," the airline said.

Singapore Airlines Ltd, whose regional arm SilkAir operates the 737 MAX, said it was monitoring the situation closely, but its planes continued to operate as scheduled.

Indonesia said it would continue to monitor its airlines operating the 737 MAX, which includes Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia but it did not mention any plan to ground the planes.

China's aviation regulator said on Monday it had ordered Chinese airlines to suspend their Boeing Co 737 MAX aircraft operations by 6 pm following a deadly crash of a 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines.

China's aviation regulator said on Monday it had ordered Chinese airlines to suspend their Boeing Co 737 MAX aircraft operations by 6 pm following a deadly crash of a 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines. An Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 bound for Nairobi crashed minutes after take-off on Sunday, killing all 157 people on board. It was the second crash of the 737 MAX, the latest version of Boeing's workhorse narrowbody jet that first entered service in 2017. Also read: Search for black box of crashed Ethiopian airliner continues In October, a 737 MAX was flown by Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air flying from Jakarta on a domestic flight crashed 13 minutes after take-off, killing all 189 passengers and crew on board. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a statement it would notify airlines as to when they could resume flying the jets after contacting Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration to ensure flight safety. "Given that two accidents both involved newly delivered Boeing 737-8 planes and happened during take-off phase, they have some degree of similarity," the CAAC said, adding that the order was in line with its principle of zero-tolerance on safety hazards. The cause of the Indonesian crash is still being investigated. A preliminary report issued in November, before the cockpit voice recorder was recovered, focused on airline maintenance and training and the response of a Boeing anti-stall system to a recently replaced sensor but did not give a reason for the crash. Chinese airlines have 96 737 MAX jets in service, the state company regulator said on Weibo. Caijing, a Chinese state-run news outlet that covers finance and economics, said many flights scheduled to use 737 Max planes would instead use the 737-800 models. A Boeing spokesman declined to comment. A US official told Reuters the United States was unsure of what information China was acting on. The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said there were no plans to follow suit given the 737 MAX had a stellar safety record in the United States and there was a lack of information about the cause of the Ethiopian crash. SAFETY STANDARDS According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, there were no Boeing 737 Max 8 planes flying over China as of 0043 GMT on Monday. Most of Air China Ltd's 737 MAX fleet of 15 jets landed on Sunday evening, with the exception of two that landed on Monday morning from international destinations, according to data on FlightRadar24. It did not list any upcoming scheduled flights for the planes, nor did China Southern Airlines Co, which also has its fleet on the ground. China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd four 737 MAX jets landed on Sunday evening and no further flights were scheduled until Tuesday, FlightRadar24 data showed. Cayman Airways has grounded both of its new 737 MAX 8 jets until more information was received, the Cayman Islands airline said in a statement on its website. Fiji Airways said it had followed a comprehensive induction process for its new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and it had full confidence in the airworthiness of its fleet. "We continue to ensure that our maintenance and training programme for pilots and engineers meets the highest safety standards," the airline said. Singapore Airlines Ltd, whose regional arm SilkAir operates the 737 MAX, said it was monitoring the situation closely, but its planes continued to operate as scheduled. Indonesia said it would continue to monitor its airlines operating the 737 MAX, which includes Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia but it did not mention any plan to ground the planes.

After Ethiopian Airlines crash, China suspends use of Boeing 737 Max aircraft