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Pakistan has barred Taiwanese airlines from flying through its airspace on the grounds of supporting China’s “One China” policy.
Pakistan Restricts Taiwan Airlines, MEA Comments On Possible India-Taiwan Flights. (Image for representation)
India has indicated the possibility of direct air links with Taiwan amid reports that Pakistan has barred Taiwanese airlines from using its airspace under Beijing’s “One China” policy. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal spoke about the possibility of direct flights between India and Taiwan on Wednesday, without announcing any confirmed plans.
“My sense is, if there are direct flights, they will fly,” Jaiswal said when asked about plans for direct air links between the two sides.
The remark comes as Taiwanese carriers reportedly take longer routes to reach Europe after Pakistan restricted their access to its airspace. The move has drawn attention to Islamabad’s position on the “One China” policy and its close political and strategic relationship with Beijing.
Pakistan bars Taiwanese airlines from its airspace
Pakistan has barred Taiwanese airlines from flying through its airspace, becoming the first country reported to have explicitly denied them access on the grounds of supporting China’s “One China” policy, Bloomberg reported.
Islamabad confirmed the decision on Wednesday after reports emerged that Taiwanese carriers had started taking longer routes to avoid Pakistani airspace. The restriction comes as Pakistan continues to maintain close political and strategic ties with China.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the position while speaking to Bloomberg News.
At A Glance
India indicated a possibility of direct air links with Taiwan following reports regarding airspace restrictions.
Pakistan has barred Taiwanese airlines from using its airspace in alignment with Beijing’s One China policy.
Taiwanese carriers have rerouted Asia-Europe flights to fly over Russian airspace instead of Pakistan.
Pakistan established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1951.
“The aviation division follows the One China policy – only mainland China is allowed,” Asif said.
“We have permitted only Chinese airlines to fly over Pakistan,” he added.
The decision means Taiwanese airlines can no longer use Pakistani airspace, forcing some flights to take alternative routes to reach their destinations in Europe.
The restriction came to light after aviation observers noticed that some Taiwanese flights had begun taking longer routes to Europe, flying entirely over Russian airspace since the weekend.
According to Flightradar24 data, a China Airlines flight from Taipei to Rome on October 24 travelled through Russian airspace. The flight bypassed its earlier route through India, Pakistan and Turkmenistan.
At least a dozen Asia-Europe flights operated by Taiwanese carriers have instead been routed over Russia, according to the information available.
The reported restriction marks the first known instance of a country explicitly denying Taiwanese airlines access to its airspace because of its adherence to the “One China” principle.
Under this policy, Beijing considers Taiwan an inalienable part of Chinese territory. Pakistan’s decision to restrict Taiwanese airlines is in line with its stated position that only mainland Chinese airlines are permitted to fly over its airspace.
Pakistan maintains close ties with Beijing
Pakistan and China have maintained close relations for decades. Pakistan established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1951, becoming one of the first countries to do so.
Since then, the two countries have developed close political, economic and strategic ties. They frequently describe their relationship as an “all-weather” partnership.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan’s restriction on Taiwanese airlines comes amid its continued support for Beijing’s “One China” policy.
Meanwhile, Jaiswal’s remarks have brought the possibility of direct air links between India and Taiwan into focus. However, the MEA spokesperson did not announce any confirmed plans or provide a timeline for direct flights, saying only that such flights would operate if they were introduced.
Quick Answers
Ask News18India has indicated the possibility of establishing direct air links with Taiwan, with Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating that if direct flights are introduced, they will fly. However, no confirmed plans or timelines have been officially announced yet.
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Shuddhanta Patra is an Indian journalist with about nine years of experience in covering national politics, geopolitics, defence, diplomacy and international affairs. Her reporting focuses on South As…Read More
Delhi, India, India
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