customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Associated Press

The US government is suspending 26 flights to China by four Chinese airlines in a dispute over antivirus controls after Beijing suspended flights by American carriers.
The Department of Transportation said Beijing violated an air travel agreement and treated airlines unfairly under a system that requires them to suspend flights if passengers test positive for Covid-19.
US regulators suspended seven flights by Air China from New York City and a total of 19 flights from Los Angeles by Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines, according to the department.
It said that was equal to the number of flights United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air were required to cancel under Beijing’s “circuit-breaker” system.


China’s “zero Covid” strategy aims to keep the virus out of the country while other governments are shifting to living with the coronavirus disease. The strategy has kept case numbers low but disrupted travel, manufacturing and trade. Travel curbs are now being eased, but most foreign visitors are still barred from China.
Until August 7, if up to nine passengers on a flight tested positive, a carrier could either suspend a flight for two weeks or reduce the passengers it carried to 40 per cent of capacity, according to the US department. But since August 7, airlines have been required to suspend a flight if the number of positive tests reached 4 per cent of passengers on one flight.
China halves bans for flights carrying Covid-19 cases into country
The Department of Transportation complained that airlines face “undue culpability” for passengers who present negative test results before boarding but test positive after arriving in China.
China’s actions are “premised on circumstances wholly outside of the carriers’ control”, it said in a statement.
“We reserve the right to take additional action” if Beijing imposes “further circuit-breaker measures”.


China’s Wuhan virology institute creates nasal Covid-19 vaccine for ‘future pandemics’

Chinachem’s Nina Hospitality eyes UK, Singapore markets while Hong Kong regains momentum

Raccoon dogs, minks in focus as China animal study uncovers dozens of new viruses

KFC, McDonald’s, Haidilao push small-store format to beat China’s consumption downgrade

Coronavirus China

Coronavirus: US suspends 26 flights to China by Chinese airlines over zero-Covid rules

United Airlines is among three US carriers earlier hit by 
China’s “circuit-breaker” system. Photo: AP

America’s universities will welcome fewer Chinese students this year, thanks to rock-bottom Sino-US relations

People pass the Widener Library at Harvard University in Massachusetts, US. Photo: AP

People attend a candlelight vigil in California on March 17, 2021, to unite against anti-Asian racism and violence. Photo: AFP

A woman passes the entrance to Peking University’s Wanliu campus on May 16. Photo: AFP

Chinese parents look to send children abroad again for education as coronavirus fears ease

More Chinese parents are looking to send their kids overseas for education as fears about the coronavirus pandemic ease. Photo: Xinhua

More Chinese parents are looking to send their kids overseas for education as fears about the coronavirus pandemic ease. Photo: Ann Cao

Coronavirus: bizarre clip of medical workers testing live seafood widely ridiculed for insane extent of China’s dynamic zero-Covid rule

A video of medical workers swab-testing live fish sparks renewed debate about how far is too far under China’s zero-Covid strategy. Photo: SCMP artwork

A video circulating online shows workers in white hazmat suits inserting a cotton bud into the mouth of a fish, and rubbing buds along the bodies of crabs and shrimps. Photo: Toutiao

Officials said their main concern is that transmission is occurring during interactions between fishermen at sea and seafood catches. Photo: Toutiao

News

China

Coronavirus

Greater China


Beijing violated air travel agreement and treated airlines unfairly under flight-suspension system, US Department of Transportation says
Affected flights are Air China from New York City, and Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines from Los Angeles



Affected flights are Air China from New York City, and Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines from Los Angeles.


Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

Air China

Coronavirus: US suspends 26 flights to China by Chinese airlines over zero-Covid rules

Beijing violated air travel agreement and treated airlines unfairly under flight-suspension system, US Department of Transportation says Affected flights are Air China from New York City, and Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines from Los Angeles

Beijing violated air travel agreement and treated airlines unfairly under flight-suspension system, US Department of Transportation says

Affected flights are Air China from New York City, and Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines from Los Angeles