China opens third extension to sensitive Taiwan Strait flight path

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HONG KONG - China’s civil aviation authority said on July 6 it has opened a third extension of the M503 flight route, which has for years been the subject of complaints from Taipei due to its position just west of an unofficial dividing line in the Taiwan Strait.

China in 2024 moved the M503 route closer to the median line, drawing an angry response from Taipei, which said Beijing was trying to “package” civil aviation for political or military considerations to potentially change the strait’s status quo.

The opening of the W121 extension comes days before the annual

Han Kuang military and civil defence drills

The median line had for years served as an unofficial barrier between Chinese-claimed Taiwan and China, but China says it does not recognise its existence and Chinese warplanes now regularly fly over it as Beijing seeks to pressure Taipei to accept its sovereignty claims.

The Civil Aviation Authority of China said that “in order to further optimise the airspace environment and improve operational efficiency, from now on, civil aviation will use the W121 connection line of the M503 route”.

Taiwan’s China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is the third extension after W122 and W123, which are to the south of W121, opened in 2024. All three go west to east, from mainland China in the direction of Taiwan.

“This measure is aimed at ensuring flight safety, reducing flight delays, and protecting the rights and interests of passengers,” China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said.

It added that the opening was “beneficial” to