Pakistan bars Taiwanese airlines from its airspace in support of China
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Pakistan has barred Taiwanese airlines from its airspace in a move supporting Beijing’s One-China policy, forcing the island’s two major carriers to reroute flights between Asia and Europe.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the restriction in an interview with Bloomberg News on Wednesday.
“The aviation division follows the One China policy — only mainland China is allowed,” Asif told Bloomberg. “We have permitted only Chinese airlines to fly over Pakistan.”
According to Bloomberg, flight-tracking data showed that Taiwan’s China Airlines and EVA Airways had not flown over Pakistani airspace since October 25. At least a dozen flights between Asia and Europe have taken longer routes over Russia since Sunday, based on Flightradar24 data.
Neither airline nor Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration had issued an official response at the time of reporting.
The move comes as Beijing intensifies diplomatic pressure on other countries to recognise its claim that Taiwan is part of China. Taiwan governs itself and rejects Beijing’s claim to sovereignty over the island.
Pakistan is the first country reported to have imposed such a restriction on Taiwanese airlines. Even mainland China permits Taiwanese carriers to fly over its territory.
The restrictions could increase fuel consumption, operating costs and journey times. Taiwanese airlines have largely avoided Russian airspace since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, owing to concerns about flying over an active conflict zone.
Pakistan’s decision also highlights its close strategic partnership with China, which has invested billions of dollars in infrastructure and other projects in the country through its Belt and Road Initiative.
The two countries describe their relationship as an “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership”. Pakistan severed official relations with Taiwan in 1951 in favour of closer ties with Beijing.