Taiwan believes that China was responsible for Pakistan’s brief decision to block Taiwanese airlines from using its airspace, a senior Taiwanese official said on Thursday, as the row added to tensions over Beijing’s attempts to isolate the self-ruled island.
“We are sure this must be China,” Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi told Agence France-Presse, although he did not cite any evidence for the claim.
Chen said Pakistan’s decision gave “a very dangerous message” by implying that Beijing could use its power to block airlines from other countries from airspace.
Reportedly, Pakistan closed to the airspace of Chinese carriers, China Airlines and EVA Airways, on Oct. 25 and kept them from being able to travel on the same routes over Europe and Asia.
The ban was said to have been imposed in response to Islamabad’s endorsement of Beijing’s “one China” policy, a policy which claims Taiwan as a part of China.
But the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority later cleared the airlines for passenger and cargo flights between Oct. 28 and March 27, 2027, the documents shared with The Associated Press. The documents did not explicitly say the previous ban was lifted.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry denounced the move, saying Islamabad was “echoing China’s false information and politicising entry into its airspace”.
Chen said Taipei would work “hand in glove” with Washington and other nations on the matter.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as a part of China, does not recognize Taiwan’s government.
