New mainland air routes pose risk to planes serving Taiwan-held islands, says Taipei

Taiwan has strongly criticised an announcement by the mainland authorities to set up four new air routes close to the island's territory, saying they pose a danger to its aircraft.

Beijing took a decision to begin operating the routes in March without the agreement of Taipei, a move in breach of international aviation practice, according to Jean Shen, the director general of Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration.

One of the routes runs roughly north-south up the middle of the Taiwan Strait and is just under 8km from Taiwanese airspace. The other three routes head east from the mainland to join the north-south flight path.

The new routes would interfere with Taiwanese flights to Quemoy and Matsu islands under Taipei's control off the east coast of the mainland, Shen said yesterday.

Taiwanese airlines operate about 56 round-trip flights each day to the islands, known as Kinmen and Mazu on the mainland.

Shen said that under international aviation regulations neighbouring areas must be consulted over proposed air routes and agreement reached.

Beijing had mentioned new routes in talks in Taipei last year, but had gone ahead without approval, informing the Taiwanese authorities that the new flight paths would come into use on March 5, according to Shen.