By Basant El-Faramawy
Pakistan has become the first country to close its airspace to airlines from Taiwan, citing adherence to Beijing’s One China policy, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed on Wednesday.
Longer routes over Russia
Aviation tracking data shows Taiwanese carriers have been rerouting flights over Russia since the weekend to avoid Pakistani airspace. A China Airlines flight from Taipei to Rome on 24 October flew entirely through Russian airspace, bypassing its previous route across India, Pakistan and Turkmenistan, according to Flightradar24.
Diplomatic context
Pakistan established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1951 and describes the relationship as an “all-weather” partnership. Islamabad maintains limited engagement with Taipei and opposes Taiwanese independence, recently reaffirming that Taiwan is an “inalienable part” of China.
Broader implications
Taiwanese airlines are already barred from overflying mainland China. Many international carriers have also avoided Russian airspace since February 2022, though not formally banned. The decision adds another constraint on Taiwan’s international aviation connectivity.
