Air China Suspends Flights To North Korea
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published November 22, 2017 | 12:35 PM
Air China has suspended flights to North Korea, further limiting the secretive state's links with the outside world, in what the government said was a business decision with no political motives
Beijing, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Nov, 2017 ) :Air China has suspended flights to North Korea, further limiting the secretive state's links with the outside world, in what the government said was a business decision with no political motives.
The suspension comes shortly after US President Donald Trump visited Beijing and pressed his counterpart Xi Jinping to do more to rein in North Korea's nuclear program. China sent a special envoy, Song Tao, to the North last week but his four-day trip ended with no direct statement on the crisis, after Pyongyang's series of nuclear and missile tests triggered global alarm.
Air China said in a statement to AFP that it cancelled the Beijing to Pyongyang flight route because the "operational situation is not ideal". "Market conditions will determine the resumption of the flight route," the statement said.
Air China last cancelled flights to North Korea in April, citing low customer demand, but resumed them soon after. China has denied any political motives behind its flag carrier's suspension of the route.
"The airliners just work out their own operation plans based on the state of operation and the market," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a press briefing on Tuesday when asked about the apparent move.
Passengers flying from Beijing to North Korea are now left with just three regularly scheduled flights each week, on the North Korean state airline Air Koryo. Air Koryo also operates flights from the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang to Pyongyang, though it halted flights from the Chinese border city of Dandong earlier this year.
Beijing is Pyongyang's only major ally and biggest trade partner, though in August China said it would abide by new UN sanctions which heavily curtail the North's exports of its most profitable goods.
The US on Tuesday unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping and Chinese traders doing business with Pyongyang, again raising the pressure on the pariah state to abandon its nuclear program.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Rock-solid Ruud racks up season-leading win in Barcelona
At UN, Iran says it will make Israel 'regret' reprisals
G7 hears calls for 'critical' Ukraine aid
EU seeks to leverage might to confront China, US challenge
5 Customs officials martyred as their vehicle ambushed by terrorists in D I Khan
Pak-New Zealand match called off due to rain
NHA restores traffic on roads affected by recent rains in Balochistan
China to fully support Pakistan's efforts against terrorism: Ambassador Jiang
U.S. envoy calls on Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar
Poland arrests man over suspected plan to kill Zelensky
EU wants to ease youth movement to and from UK
Police foils attempt of supply mainpuri raw material
More Stories From World
-
At G7, Blinken seeks European support for pressure on China
3 hours ago -
Thousands of Bosnian Serbs rally against UN resolution on Srebrenica
3 hours ago -
Israel assault has turned Gaza into 'humanitarian hellscape': UN
3 hours ago -
Husband of ex-Scottish leader charged over alleged embezzlement: police
4 hours ago -
Ecuador hit by power cuts of up to 13 hours amid drought
4 hours ago -
Hugs or bullets? How Mexico presidential rivals aim to curb violence
4 hours ago
-
Kenya military chopper crash kills defence chief, senior officers
5 hours ago -
Biden hails 'incredible' Kennedy family backing against RFK Jr.
5 hours ago -
Maldives court frees jailed ex-president ahead of vote
5 hours ago -
Probe into Portugal ex-PM Costa appears to collapse
5 hours ago -
Jury selection stalls in Trump criminal trial
5 hours ago -
At UN, Iran says it will make Israel 'regret' reprisals
5 hours ago