Effective from February 1st… Part of pressure on Taiwan
China takes measures to ease pressure on increased flights
Taiwan: “Directly contradicts the 2015 agreement”
As Taiwan’s aviation authorities protested China’s unilateral adjustment of the M503 civil route close to Taiwan, there are signs that the cross-Strait conflict will further escalate.
According to China Central (CC) TV on the 30th, the Civil Aviation Administration of China announced the previous day, “Starting February 1, we will cancel westbound flights on the M503 route and begin using the W122 and W123 routes.” The Civil Aviation Administration of China also explained, “This measure is an optimization measure to increase operational efficiency in the (relevant) airspace.”
The M503 route is a north-south route that passes through the middle of the Taiwan Strait and is located approximately 7.8km from the Taipei Flight Information Area (FIR). In this route, the W121, W122, and W123 routes horizontally connect Dongshan City, Fuzhou City, and Xiamen City.
When China unilaterally declared the opening of these routes in 2015, Taiwanese authorities protested, saying, “They could be used as routes for Chinese military aircraft in case of emergency.” Afterwards, after negotiations with Taiwan, China decided to use a westerly route 6 nautical miles (approximately 11 km) west (towards China) from the existing M503 route.
According to this measure, China will use the M503 route, which is closer to Taiwan, rather than the westerly route. In addition, the operation of W122 and W123, which were not actually used because they were considered a threat to Taiwan, will begin.
Even though Taiwan opposed it due to its proximity to the flight information area, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) accepted China’s proposal in 2018 and approved M503 as a route.
With independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party candidate Lai Ching-de winning Taiwan’s presidential election on the 13th, this measure is seen as part of China’s efforts to pressure Taiwan.
Regarding this, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the Chinese government’s Taiwan affairs department, said, “This change will alleviate the pressure of increased flights in relevant regions, ensure flight safety, reduce flight delays, and protect the rights and interests of customers.” “It is for guarantee,” he explained.
On the other hand, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration immediately issued a statement and strongly protested. Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Bureau pointed out that “this measure directly contradicts the agreement reached in 2015.”
The Mainland Council (MAC), Taiwan’s governing body for mainland China, also issued a statement demanding that China “immediately stop such irresponsible navigation measures.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.