Taiwan’s aviation authorities say they will talk with China about its new airline routes due to safety concerns. That’s the word from Civil Aeronautics Administration Director-General Jean Shen on Tuesday.
In an aviation report released Monday, China said it will designate four new airline routes off its southeastern waters. The new routes are set to start March 5th.
One route is only about 7.8 kilometers away from the Taiwan Strait’s “median line” or the Taipei Flight Information Region. China said airplanes will fly slightly towards the west, or about 7.4 kilometers away from the median line. The route is in the Shanghai Flight Information Region, which many international flights use. There are air safety concerns because it is so close to Taiwan’s Flight Information Region.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s defense ministry said its aerospace defense mission will not be affected by China’s decision. The military will upgrade its mission to cope with contingencies if necessary.
The Mainland Affairs Council said the new routes are not related to the talks about allowing Chinese tourists to stop over in Taiwan before flying on to another country.