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The Chinese government has criticized a proposal by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) to ban Chinese airlines from flying to the US via Russian airspace. The move is part of the Trump administration’s response to what it views as an unfair advantage for Chinese carriers, who are allowed to use Russian routes while US airlines have been banned from Russian airspace since Western sanctions were imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Minister Guo Jiakun, speaking to the South China Morning Post, said: “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.”
The DOT plan reportedly targets several Chinese airlines, including Xiamen Airlines and China’s three largest carriers: Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, which also flies over Russia on US-bound flights, was not mentioned in the proposal. While some flights operated by these airlines do pass through Russian airspace—such as Air China’s Beijing to Los Angeles route—others do not. For example, China Eastern's Shanghai to San Francisco service avoids Russian territory.
