(MENAFN) China has strongly criticized the United States for considering a prohibition on Chinese airlines utilizing Russian airspace, cautioning that such a move could negatively impact American businesses.

A report by a news agency on Thursday revealed that the administration under US President Donald Trump has put forward a proposal to prevent Chinese carriers from flying over Russian territory on routes to and from the United States.

The US Department of Transportation contended that access to Russian airspace provides Chinese airlines with an “unfair competitive edge.”

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by emphasizing that these measures could ultimately harm American firms, and it urged the US government to reflect on the wider implications of such a policy shift.

“Barring Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on flights to and from the US would hinder travel and people-to-people exchanges,” stated ministry representative Guo Jiakun during a press conference on Friday.

“Rather than punishing other countries and passengers around the world, perhaps it’s time the US took a hard look at its own policy and the impact on American businesses.”

Airspace over Russia offers the most direct paths between Asia, Europe, and North America, enabling shorter travel times, lower fuel consumption, and cost savings for airlines.

In 2022, however, Moscow prohibited numerous Western airlines from entering its airspace after Western governments closed their skies to Russian flights in response to the intensifying conflict in Ukraine. Chinese airlines, on the other hand, are not subject to these limitations.

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