Retaliation, Uncle Sam Bans Chinese Airlines From Entering The US

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JAKARTA - The United States (US) government, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, issued a ban on Chinese airlines from flying to the US starting June 16. The flight ban was issued amid burning tensions between the world's two largest economies.

The move was a form of US punishment on China for failing to comply with existing agreements on flights between the two countries. US-China relations have deteriorated in recent months over the COVID-19 pandemic and China's move to enact new national security laws for Hong Kong.

The Chinese airlines barred from entering the US are Air China (601111.SS), China Eastern Airlines Corp, China Southern Airlines Co (600029.SS) and Hainan Airlines Holding Co (600221.SS). In addition, there are also other airlines, Sichuan Airlines Co, and Xiamen Airlines Co.

China responded to this ban. As the country that first issued a ban on US flights to their country, China said it could not be sure when it would revise the ban rules that allow US airlines to resume scheduled passenger flights to China.

"We will allow Chinese airlines to operate the same scheduled passenger flights that the Chinese government has permitted," the US Aviation Department said in a separate statement.

US reply

Earlier, in March, the Chinese government said domestic and foreign airlines could not operate more than one weekly flight, between China and any country. The US Department of Transportation said the Chinese rule issued in March effectively banned US airlines, which voluntarily suspended service between the two countries in February.

It said refusal to grant US airlines' requests to continue service flights violated the agreement governing air travel between the two countries that began in 1980. "We conclude that this situation requires action on the part of the Department to restore competitive balance and fair and equal opportunity between US and Chinese airlines, "said the US Department of Transportation.

If these rules continue to be enforced, it will hurt travel, trade and other exchanges between China and the US. This was conveyed by Daniel Kliman, Director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program. However, nevertheless, these rules have already been enforced.

In recent weeks, China has relaxed restrictions on charter flights from several countries except to and to the US, according to a report last month in the Global Times. Officials told the newspaper that the government would also consider increasing general aviation, pending better control of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.