China is posing yet another challenge to international regulations by flying its commercial aircraft into Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Flight Information Region (FIR) without submitting flight plans to Vietnamese air traffic control authorities.The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) told local media that China was conducting 46 flights in Ho Chi Minh FIR within the first eight days of the new year without notifying Vietnamese air traffic controllers. This irresponsible act is a threat to air safety in one of the world’s densest air traffic regions.CAAV has reacted to this infringement of international aviation rules by writing to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Asia-Pacific. Chinese planes cut through flight routes inside Ho Chi Minh FIR at different altitudes but did not make contact with air traffic controllers of Vietnam as required by international aviation regulations.International rules require air carriers to submit flight plans to relevant FIRs before departure. However, Chinese airlines ignored this requirement and their planes even turned off communication systems while in Ho Chi Minh FIR, threatening Ho Chi Minh FIR’s operations of flights, local media reports said.Air traffic is very dense in Ho Chi Minh FIR, which covers around 800,000 square kilometers including part of the East Sea. According to Tuoi Tre newspaper, on one particular day late last year, there were more than 630 flights operating in Ho Chi Minh FIR.
The Chinese actions are pouring petrol on the East Sea issue. Tensions have been running high since China started building artificial islands and airstrips illegally in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) island chain.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has protested against China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa islands as the northern neighbor landed commercial aircraft on the 3km runway which it had illegally constructed on Chu Thap (Fiery Cross Reef) for over a year.
China’s assertiveness, which is seriously threatening peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, has been criticized by the United States as well. After the first Chinese landing on Chu Thap island, the U.S. expressed concern that the flight had aggravated tension.
China as a world power should act in a responsible and transparent manner, instead of violating international law and regulations in broad daylight.
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