The Chinese Embassy in France said on Tuesday that it "deeply" regrets Paris's decision to limit the flights of Chinese airlines in the name of reciprocity vis-à-vis Air France, deeming it "unilateral" and "incomprehensible" . China, the first country where the new coronavirus was spotted at the end of 2019, drastically reduced its links with the rest of the world at the end of March, for fear of further contamination.
The Asian country however authorizes since June 8 several foreign companies, including Air France, to ensure a connection per week from and to its territory. On the other hand, the three main Chinese companies (Air China, China Eastern, China Southern) could so far each make a weekly flight from China to France - three in total. The French authorities are seeking to guarantee the same rights for Air France, with three weekly connections with China. France has therefore decided to limit to a single weekly flight service to its territory by Chinese airlines, in the name of "reciprocity" vis-à-vis Air France, AFP had learned Monday from concordant sources.
"We deeply regret" the initiative of France "
"The unilateral decision by the French side to reduce flights is damaging to Chinese airlines and the people of both countries," said the Chinese embassy. "We deeply regret" the initiative of France, she said in a statement posted on her website. Concretely, the French decision amounts to removing two connections per week for Chinese companies. The only remaining weekly Chinese flight will now alternate between Air China, China Eastern and China Southern.
In early June, Beijing announced a very limited resumption of international flights, after a threat from Washington to suspend the flights of Chinese companies in the United States.
But foreign companies must first obtain the green light from the city of arrival, which complicates the procedures. "While the Shanghai authorities have already authorized the second weekly flight by Air France Paris-Shanghai and only the formalities that are being finalized at the level of the Chinese central government remain, it is incomprehensible that the French side decides to impose the reduction of Chinese airline flights, "said the Chinese Embassy.