Pakistan has banned Taiwanese airlines from flying over its territory in line with One-China policy, making it the first country to take such a step, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the restriction to Bloomberg News. “The aviation division follows the One China policy only mainland China is allowed,” he said. “We have permitted only Chinese airlines to fly over Pakistan.”
Taiwanese carriers began rerouting flights over the weekend. Flight-tracking data cited in the report shows China Airlines Ltd and Eva Airways Corp have not flown over Pakistan since the morning of Oct 25. According to Flightradar24 data, the two airlines have operated at least a dozen Asia-Europe flights over Russia since Sunday.
China Airlines and Eva Air declined to comment. The Civil Aviation Administration in Taiwan did not comment on the rerouting, but said it had never banned carriers from flying over Russia.
The restrictions imposed by Pakistan are stricter than those imposed by mainland China, which allows Taiwanese airlines to fly over its territory, the report said. The reason for the decision by Pakistan remains unclear, though airspace restrictions can intensify during periods of heightened geopolitical tension.
Taiwanese airlines have avoided Russian airspace since February 2022, in line with many Asian, European and North American carriers, although they were never formally barred from using it. The rerouting has added hours to Asia-Europe flights and raised fuel costs.
China Airlines and Eva Air are also using routes over other parts of South Asia and the Middle East, which lengthens journey times further. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory. Pakistan severed official relations with Taiwan in 1951 in favour of closer ties with China.
Islamabad has repeatedly reaffirmed its position on Taiwan. On Jan 3, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan would continue to adhere to the One-China principle and regard Taiwan as an “inalienable part of China”.
He described Pakistan and China as “iron-clad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners”.
The statement followed military drills by China around Taiwan in early January, which included live-fire exercises simulating a blockade of key ports and attacks on maritime targets. Taipei rejects the claim by Beijing that the island is part of its territory.
Pakistan and China have deepened ties under the Belt and Road Initiative led by President Xi Jinping, which has channelled billions of dollars into Pakistan.
The two countries also maintain close military cooperation, and China is the largest arms supplier to Pakistan. Their defence ties drew international attention during the May 2025 conflict between Pakistan and India, when Pakistan used J-10C fighter jets made in China.
