Vietnamese carriers advised to avoid areas near Taiwan

By Doan Loan August 3, 2022 | 03:41 am PT

A Vietnam Airlines aircraft lands at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, June 15, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Vietnamese carriers have been asked to avoid flying in areas near Taiwan for the next two days as China conducts military exercises in tense situation.

China's exercises are taking place following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said that they has received an official notice from Chinese authorities asking airlines operating in Asia to avoid flying near the island of Taiwan from 11 a.m. Thursday until Friday.

Accordingly, CAAV has informed Vietnamese airlines to adjust their flight routes.

"Airlines can still operate flights to Taiwan normally and can decide on their own to postpone or cancel flights if necessary," Thang said.

Vietnamese carriers that operate flights from Hanoi, HCMC to some cities in Taiwan have not announced any cancellation or delays.

On Wednesday, China warned airlines operating in Asia to avoid flying in areas around Taiwan, prompting several Asian airlines to start adjusting their flight routes.

China’s Xiamen Airlines announced adjustments to several flights, citing "flow control" in Fujian.

Korean Airlines is planning to re-route some routes to South Asia in order to avoid Taiwanese airspace while Cathay Pacific Airways pilots have been advised to carry 30 minutes worth of extra fuel for possible rerouting in Taiwan, Bloomberg reported.

Shortly after Pelosi landed in Taiwan Tuesday night, China announced that the Chinese military will hold live-fire drills in six maritime areas surrounding Taiwan and their respective airspace from August 4-7, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

Pelosi’s visit escalated tensions between the U.S. and China, with Beijing considering the act as provocative and Washington's betrayal of its "One-China policy."

China has slammed Pelosi's visit saying it seriously damages peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. It "has a severe impact on the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and seriously infringes upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Reuters reported.

Vietnam's foreign ministry said Wednesday that the country continues to follow a "One-China policy" and calls on all parties to not escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait.