ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has restricted Taiwanese airlines from using its airspace in a move Defence Minister Khawaja Asif linked to Islamabad’s support for Beijing’s One-China policy, prompting carriers to alter flight routes between Asia and Europe.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Asif said Pakistan’s aviation policy permitted mainland Chinese airlines to use its airspace, while Taiwanese carriers were excluded.
The restriction has affected Taiwan-based airlines China Airlines and EVA Air. According to flight-tracking data cited by Bloomberg, both carriers had stopped flying over Pakistan by the morning of October 25.
At least 12 flights operated by the airlines between Asia and Europe have subsequently travelled through Russian airspace since Sunday, Bloomberg reported. The alternative routes may increase flight times and operating costs.
Neither airline immediately commented on the reported restriction. Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration also did not directly address the change in flight paths, but said it had never prohibited its carriers from using Russian airspace.
The move represents a further practical expression of Pakistan’s longstanding support for Beijing’s One-China policy, under which China considers Taiwan part of its territory and opposes treating the island as a separate sovereign state.
Taiwan, meanwhile, operates its own government and maintains that its future should be determined by its people.
The reported restriction is unusual because it applies to commercial airlines rather than being limited to specific diplomatic or government flights. The duration of the measure and the formal arrangements governing its implementation have not been publicly detailed in the available reports.
The changes could add operational challenges for airlines serving long-distance routes between Asia and Europe, as carriers adjust their flight paths to avoid restricted airspace.
