• 2025.10.12 (Sun)
  • All articles
  • LOGIN
  • JOIN
Global Economic Times
APEC2025KOREA가이드북
  • Synthesis
  • World
  • Business
  • Industry
  • ICT
  • Distribution Economy
  • Korean Wave News
  • Opinion
  • Arts&Culture
  • Sports
  • People & Life
  • Lee Yeon-sil Column
  • Ko Yong-chul Column
  • Photo News
  • New Book Guide
  • Cherry Garden Story
MENU
 
Home > Synthesis

US Moves to Bar Chinese Airlines from Russian Airspace Amid Trade Tensions

Yim Kwangsoo Correspondent / Updated : 2025-10-12 08:53:16
  • -
  • +
  • Print


 

Washington, D.C. — The Donald Trump administration has proposed a measure that would bar Chinese airlines from flying through Russian airspace on routes to and from the United States, escalating trade tensions with Beijing. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed the restriction on Thursday, arguing that the practice grants Chinese carriers an "unfair competitive advantage" over their American counterparts.

The proposed ban comes shortly after China tightened its export controls on rare earth minerals, which are critical for U.S. defense and high-tech semiconductor industries. This tit-for-tat move highlights the increasing economic friction between the two global powers, with some analysts viewing the aviation restriction as retaliation for the rare earths curbs.

Competitive Disparity: Shorter Routes vs. Longer Detours 

The dispute centers on the reciprocal airspace bans put in place following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. prohibited Russian aircraft from its airspace, prompting Moscow to retaliate by blocking U.S. airlines from flying over Russia.

While American carriers, like most Western airlines, must now take longer, more costly routes around Russia, Chinese airlines—which were not subjected to the ban—continue to use the shorter Russian airspace. This allows them to significantly cut flight times, save on fuel costs, and offer more competitive fares, leading to "substantial adverse competitive effects" on U.S. air carriers, according to the DOT.

The proposed order, which would amend the foreign air carrier permits of Chinese airlines, could affect major carriers including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, and Xiamen Airlines. The restriction would apply only to passenger flights, exempting cargo-only services.

Industry Impact and Geopolitical Context 

The new rule, which the DOT stated could take effect as soon as November, has given Chinese carriers just two days to submit a response.

U.S. airlines have long lobbied Washington to address this competitive imbalance. They contend that the longer routes, particularly for direct flights between the U.S. East Coast and China, are often economically unfeasible without Russian overflight access. These detours force some American carriers to limit passenger seats and cargo to manage fuel loads, further cutting into profitability.

Last year, despite opposition from U.S. airlines and unions, the DOT allowed Chinese airlines to increase their weekly round-trip flights to the U.S. to 50, though this is still only about one-third of the pre-pandemic limit. Earlier efforts to negotiate for Chinese carriers to avoid Russian airspace on new routes had limited success.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has criticized the proposal, warning that such restrictions would ultimately be detrimental to "international travel and people-to-people exchanges" and advising the Trump administration to consider the negative impact on American businesses.

This aviation flashpoint adds another layer of complexity to the already strained U.S.-China economic relationship, preceding an expected meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea later this month.

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]

  • #globaleconomictimes
  • #micorea
  • #mykorea
  • #Lifeplaza
  • #nammidonganews
  • #singaporenewsk
  • #Samsung
  • #Daewoo
  • #Hyosung
  • #A
Yim Kwangsoo Correspondent
Yim Kwangsoo Correspondent

Popular articles

  • Spanish "Bicinete" Hybrid Vehicle Vies for Top European Design Award

  • International Non-Judicial Body Puts the Brakes on Multinational Corporations Evading Environmental and Human Rights Responsibility

  • Educating the Next Generation: Central America-Caribbean Korean School Association Gathers in Cancún to Discuss AI and Identity

I like it
Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Kakaotalk
  • LINE
  • BAND
  • NAVER
  • https://globaleconomictimes.kr/article/1065570720653349 Copy URL copied.
Comments >

Comments 0

Weekly Hot Issue

  • Phu Quoc Ascends to Asia's Most Beautiful Island, Dethroning Bali in Prestigious Reader Survey
  • Decades of Global Conservation Effort Yields Triumph: Green Sea Turtle Status Improves
  • President Trump Mandates Continued Military Pay Amid Eleventh-Day Government Shutdown
  • Cocoa Futures Plunge 50% from Peak, Signaling Potential Chocolate Price Relief
  • North Korea Designates South Korea 'Most Hostile Country' in Rain-Soaked WPK Anniversary Military Parade
  • Apple Prepares for Post-Cook Era: Hardware Chief John Ternus Emerges as Frontrunner for CEO Succession

Most Viewed

1
The Imminent Reality: Donald Trump's Unlikelihood for the Nobel Peace Prize as a Destroyer of International Order
2
"Trump's Delusion for the Nobel Peace Prize: The Award He Deserves is 'The NO PEACE Prize'"
3
The U-Turn in Divorce: South Korea Sees a Surge in 'Twilight Divorces' Amid Overall Decline
4
OpenAI's $500 Billion Valuation Ignites 'AI Bubble' Debate on Wall Street
5
Renewable Energy Covers 100% of Global Electricity Demand Growth in H1 2025, Marking a Turning Point in the Fossil Fuel Era
광고문의
임시1
임시3
임시2

Hot Issue

TIDE OF HOPE: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS RETURN TO GAZA CITY RUINS AS CEASEFIRE TAKES HOLD

US Moves to Bar Chinese Airlines from Russian Airspace Amid Trade Tensions

North Korea Designates South Korea 'Most Hostile Country' in Rain-Soaked WPK Anniversary Military Parade

AI's Alibi-Seeker: Suspected Arsonist of 'LA's Worst Wildfire' Arrested After ChatGPT Record Revealed

Let’s recycle the old blankets in Jeju Island’s closet instead of incinerating them.

Global Economic Times
korocamia@naver.com
CEO : LEE YEON-SIL
Publisher : KO YONG-CHUL
Registration number : Seoul, A55681
Registration Date : 2024-10-24
Youth Protection Manager: KO YONG-CHUL
Singapore Headquarters
5A Woodlands Road #11-34 The Tennery. S'677728
Korean Branch
Phone : +82(0)10 4724 5264
#304, 6 Nonhyeon-ro 111-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Copyright © Global Economic Times All Rights Reserved
  • 에이펙2025
  • APEC2025가이드북TV
  • 세종시
Search
Category
  • All articles
  • Synthesis
  • World
  • Business
  • Industry
  • ICT
  • Distribution Economy
  • Korean Wave News
  • Opinion
  • Arts&Culture
  • Sports
  • People & Life
  • Lee Yeon-sil Column
  • Ko Yong-chul Column
  • Photo News
  • New Book Guide
  • Cherry Garden Story
  • Multicultural News
  • Jobs & Workers
  • APEC 2025 KOREA GUIDE