[EpochTimesAugust192021](Epoch Times reporter Xu Zhenqi comprehensive report) The U.S. Department of Transportation said on Wednesday (August 18) that after the Beijing government imposed similar restrictions on United Airlines’ four flights, it would Some flights are limited to 40% of passengers and last for four weeks.
Reuters reported that China told United Airlines on August 6 that five passengers travelling from San Francisco to Shanghai will impose restrictions on the number of passengers on flights after they tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21.
In response, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s directive showed that the department set the maximum capacity of four Chinese airlines for one-way flights between China and the United States at 40% for a period of four weeks.
The U.S. government stated that China’s “fuse mechanism” policy violates the air service agreements of various countries, and has placed the airlines on undue responsibility for the issue of passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in China.
The Ministry of Communications added that the airline “cannot independently verify the positive test results claimed by the Chinese (CCP) authorities. In addition, it cannot determine where or when the passenger may be infected.”
The Chinese authorities gave United Airlines three options: cancel two flights from San Francisco to Shanghai; operate two flights without passengers; or operate four flights with a passenger capacity of only 40%.
The Chinese restrictions have been implemented on August 11, and United Airlines’ four San Francisco-Shanghai flights on Wednesday can only carry 40% of the capacity.
In response, the Biden government stated that it will impose the same restrictions on four Chinese airlines’ flights for a period of four weeks, including one flight each by Air China, China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.
United Airlines and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment to Reuters.
The Biden administration relaxed restrictions on Chinese students going to the United States to study in April this year, which will take effect on August 1. Therefore, it is now the time when a large number of Chinese students are going to the United States for autumn courses, and there are long queues in the departure hall of Chinese airports The scene, and the price of air tickets has also risen, and even “sky-priced” air tickets of up to 100,000 yuan have appeared.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States and China have engaged in numerous confrontations over aviation services. The U.S. government stated on June 3, 2020 that it would completely ban Chinese airlines from serving the U.S. market from June 16. The U.S. Department of Transportation stated that the move was in response to the delay of the Civil Aviation Administration of the Communist Party of China to approve American Airlines’ request to resume flights.
Beijing responded quickly, saying that it would relax the flight restrictions on foreign airlines, allowing them to fly to a city in China once a week, and the U.S. Department of Transportation also eased the restrictions and will allow Chinese airlines twice a week. Flights to and from the United States.
The long-term aviation agreement between China and the United States allows the two countries to operate more than 100 flights a week, but only a small portion of them has resumed operations.
Editor in charge: Ye Ziwei#
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