Although Taipei claimed Beijing had informed it of plans to impose a no-fly zone in the seas north of Taiwan on Sunday, China denied doing so on Friday.
Following protests from Taipei, the no-fly zone was shortened from the original three days (April 16-18) to just 27 minutes (Sunday morning), according to the island’s transport ministry.
“It has come to my attention that some reports have incorrectly stated that the Chinese side established the no-fly zone.” At a routine media briefing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin seemed to contradict that claim by saying, “The relevant authorities will implement measures to ensure flight safety.”
Wang added that China’s civil aviation authority will notify the public in advance of any space activities.
In any case, Taiwan has already issued a notice to airmen for pilots for Sunday morning, highlighting the closure of airspace due to aerospace flight activity.
The region encompasses a number of busy flight routes, including those between Taiwan and China and Taiwan and South Korea.
