Gordon Chang, senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute, analyzes President Donald Trump’s proposed agricultural aid, Beijing’s trade demands and doubts about Xi Jinping’s presence at the APEC summit on ‘Mornings with Maria’.
The Trump administration on Thursday proposed banning Chinese airlines from flying through Russian airspace on routes to and from the United States, arguing that the shorter flight times this allows gives them an “unfair” advantage over American airlines.
The proposed measure, unveiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation, would effectively deprive Chinese airlines of a route advantage that reduces flight time and fuel costs — benefits unavailable to U.S. airlines since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported.
When the war began, Washington banned Russian planes from flying over the United States, prompting the Kremlin to impose reciprocal restrictions, the outlet added.
CHINA REJECTS TRUMP-IMPOSED ‘arbitrary TARIFFS’, PROMISES OFFENSE AGAINST US
The Trump administration has proposed a ban on Chinese airlines flying through Russian airspace on routes to and from the United States. (WANG Zhao/AFP/Getty Images)
While US airlines Since they have been forced to take longer, more expensive routes through Russia, Chinese airlines have continued to use the shortcut, allowing them to offer faster, cheaper flights on key routes, according to Reuters. Some US airlines have reportedly warned that direct flights between the US east coast and China without access to Russian airspace are hardly profitable and often require limiting the number of passengers or cargo to save fuel.
In its proposed decision Thursday, the Department of Transportation called the situation “unfair” and said it has caused “substantial adverse competitive effects on U.S. airlines.” The proposal, which would change the licenses of foreign airlines, would not apply to cargo-only flights.
A spokesperson for The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the plan on Friday, warning that the flight restrictions would hurt travel and communications between the two countries, Reuters reported. The decision could affect flights operated by Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines.
TRUMP ADMIN REDUCES ADMINISTRATION ON COMMERCIAL DRONES TO COMPETE WITH CHINA’S MARKET DOMINANCE
In June 2025 in Washington, DC, a Department of Transportation sign is displayed outside the Orville Wright Federal Building (Kevin Carter/Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Ministry of Transport has given Chinese airlines two days to respond and said a final order could come into effect as early as November.
The proposal comes at a time when tensions between Washington and Beijing are rising on multiple economic fronts. Thursday’s move follows Beijing’s decision earlier that day to tighten export controls on rare earth metals that are critical to several U.S. industries.
Boeing has reportedly been in talks to sell up to 500 planes to China this summer, but the deal has largely stalled due to ongoing trade frictions. (REUTERS/Randall Hill / Reuters Photos)
In another development, Boeing is reportedly in talks to sell up to 500 planes to China – a potential breakthrough in the world’s second-largest aviation market, where orders have largely stalled due to ongoing trade frictions.
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Reuters contributed to this report.
