Beijing Slams US Proposal to Ban Russian Airspace for Chinese Airlines

The Trump administration, through the US Department of Transportation (DOT), has proposed banning Chinese airlines from using Russian airspace on flights to and from the US.

Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries, including the US, Canada, the EU, and the UK, imposed sanctions by closing their airspace to Russian airlines. Russia reciprocated by banning many Western carriers, including US and European airlines, from flying over its airspace.

Chinese airlines remain unaffected by these sanctions.

The Trump administration argues that allowing Chinese airlines to continue using Russian routes gives them an unfair advantage. Chinese carriers benefit from shorter flight paths, while American airlines must take longer, more expensive detours, which involve additional travel time, increased fuel consumption, and higher operating costs.

The DOT’s plan would specifically impact seven major Chinese airlines: Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan, Beijing Capital Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines.

The ban would apply to passenger flights on US–China routes, excluding cargo-only flights, as their competitive factors differ.

China’s Foreign Ministry slammed the proposal, warning that it could damage US business interests and disrupt people-to-people connections. Beijing has urged Washington to reconsider, stating that the ban could negatively impact civil aviation cooperation and broader diplomatic relations between the two countries.

If this ban is approved, it would likely be implemented about 30 days after the final decision is published.

Meanwhile, geopolitical and trade tensions between the US and Canada have contributed to a sharp 35 percent decline in Canadians returning from the US in September 2025 compared to the same month last year.

Photo by Rancheng Zhu on Unsplash