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<p>China's aviation regulator - the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) - said on Friday (Apr 19) that it had opened&nbsp;new air routes to the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou with flight paths&nbsp;situated very&nbsp;close to the Taiwan-controlled&nbsp;islands&nbsp;of Kinmen and Matsu. Citing a statement from the CAAC, the news agency Reuters reported that these routes were now operational.</p>

<p>The statement added that from May 16, the aviation regulator said&nbsp;that&nbsp;it&nbsp;would "further optimise" airspace around Fuzhou&nbsp;airport,&nbsp;but did not elaborate on how it would do so.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-hits-back-at-chinese-embassys-criticism-of-wion-interview-711166">Taiwan hits back at Chinese embassy’s criticism of WION interview</a></strong></p>

<p>The statement&nbsp;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.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Taiwan condemns move</strong></h2>

<p>Taiwan condemned Beijing's announcement by saying the decision to open new air routes&nbsp;that run close to two Taiwanese-controlled islands was a flight safety risk taken without consultation.</p>

<p>"They want us to cave in, make compromises and change our behaviour," a senior official from Taipei told Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Previous opposition by Taiwan</strong></h2>

<p>In January, Taiwan expressed anger after China unilaterally&nbsp;changed a flight path called M503 close to the sensitive median line in the Taiwan Strait. The median line has for years served&nbsp;as an unofficial&nbsp;demarcation&nbsp;between Chinese-claimed Taiwan and China and&nbsp;was not crossed&nbsp;by combat aircraft from either side.</p>

<p>However, Beijing has said it does not recognise the line's existence&nbsp;and&nbsp;Chinese warplanes regularly fly over it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2018, Taiwan complained&nbsp;about the M503 route, saying China&nbsp;opened the northbound part of it without first informing Taipei in contravention of a 2015 deal to first discuss such flight paths.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;China's Xi Jinping hosts former Taiwan president Ma Ying-Jeou in Beijing</strong></p>

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<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;China had said in January that it was opening routes&nbsp;from west to east on the two flight paths&nbsp;from Xiamen and Fuzhou, but had not until now announced when they would go into operation.</p>

<p>The islands of Kinmen and Matsu both have&nbsp;regular flights to Taiwan, and Chinese aircraft are not permitted&nbsp;by Taiwan to fly in the airspace Taipei controls around these islands.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

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

FedEx must be punished for deliberately breaking Chinese law: commentary