An aviation official is calling on China not to begin operating a controversial new series of flight routes before reaching a consensus with Taiwan.
Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) Director-General Lin Tyh-ming made the comment on Tuesday.
In mid-January, China unilaterally announced that four new flight routes would enter operation on March 5th.
But flight route M503 is less than eight kilometers away from the Taipei Flight Information Region. This means the route could become a hazard for Taiwanese aircraft. Taiwan’s government responded to the Chinese announcement with a strong protest and demands for negotiations.
Lin Tyh-ming urged China to suspend its plan to bring the routes into service.
"Basically, I think the issue requires negotiations as it would be better to put the plan in place after reaching a consensus," Lin said. "I think we will find it unacceptable if China goes ahead with its plan. Without a consensus, the implementation of the plan will hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people."