Pakistan has barred Taiwanese airlines from using its airspace in line with Beijing’s One-China policy, with carriers beginning to reroute flights between Asia and Europe over the weekend, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg News that Pakistan’s aviation division followed the One-China policy and allowed only mainland Chinese airlines to fly over the country.
“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.”
According to the report, China Airlines Ltd. and EVA Airways Corporation have not flown over Pakistan since the morning of October 25. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that at least a dozen flights operated by the two Taiwanese carriers between Asia and Europe had travelled over Russia since Sunday.
Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration did not comment on the rerouting but said that it had never prohibited its carriers from flying over Russia.
Pakistan’s position on Taiwan centres on its support for the One-China policy, under which it recognises Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China. Islamabad has described Taiwan as an “inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China” and rejected moves supporting Taiwan’s independence.
The policy also forms part of Pakistan’s foreign policy and its “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” with China.
Pakistan has backed Beijing’s position on Taiwan’s exclusion from international organisations. It previously opposed a proposal to invite Taiwan to the World Health Organization’s annual assembly.
