Pakistan reverses four-day ban on Taiwan carriers — SkimNews
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Taiwan said Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi suspected China was behind Pakistan’s brief airspace ban on Taiwanese airlines, but presented no evidence; he called the move “a very dangerous message around the world.”
- Pakistan blocked Taiwanese carriers on Oct. 25, citing support for Beijing’s One-China policy and forcing aircraft to detour over Russia.
- Pakistan reversed the decision on Oct. 29 and approved permits, allowing the first Taiwanese commercial aircraft to fly over the country following an abrupt U-turn by authorities.
- Guo Jiakun said the One-China principle was a “prevailing consensus of the international community” and that residents of the Taiwan region enjoyed unimpeded international travel.
- Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry condemned Pakistan for “parroting China’s distorted narrative” and said Taipei would work with the US and other countries on the airspace issue.
- China is Pakistan’s biggest lender, with more than US$25 billion (S$32 billion) owed to it; Chen said Pakistan’s move showed Beijing could use its leverage to deny airspace access.
- Pakistan became the first country to state that it would deny all Taiwanese carriers use of airspace, a sharper measure than Beijing’s previous efforts to isolate Taiwan on the world stage.
Why it matters: Pakistan’s Oct. 25-29 restrictions on Taiwanese carriers forced flights to detour over Russia before access was restored, turning a One-China rationale into a concrete air-access problem. Taipei’s allegation centered on Beijing’s leverage over Pakistan, which owes its biggest lender, China, more than US$25 billion.
Ask SkimNews
