Ọtụtụ ụgbọ elu ozugbo n'etiti US na China kwụsịrị

The US government announced today the suspension of 44 flights by Chinese Airlines between the two countries.

This was a response to a similar move by Chinese Authorities suspending U.S. carriers to continue flying. The reason for China was the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States.

The latest suspension will begin on January 30 with Xiamen Airlines not being allowed its Los Angeles-to-Xiamen flight. This suspension is set until March 29, according to the US Department of Transportation.

China Southern Airlines and Southern Eastern Airlines are also affected.

Chinese authorities have suspended 20 United Airlines, 10 American Airlines, and 14 Delta Air Lines flights after some passengers tested positive for COVID-19. As recently as Tuesday, the Transportation Department noticed the Chinese government had announced new US flight cancellations.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told Reuters, the policy for international passenger flights entering China has “been applied equally to Chinese and foreign airlines in a fair, open and transparent way. At the same time, the embassy criticized the U.S. move against Chinese-based airlines as unreasonable.

Airlines for America supported the suspension by the US government to ensure the fair treatment of US airlines in the Chinese market.

The Transportation Department said France and Germany have taken similar action against Chinas COVID-19 actions. It said China’s suspension of the 44 flights “are averse to the public interest and warrant proportionate remedial action.”

It added that China’s “unilateral actions against the named US carriers are inconsistent” with a bilateral agreement.