Confusion over Taiwan’s status has seen flights cancelled as part of broader bans on China traffic.
The Diplomat
Date: February 04, 2020
By: Shannon Tiezzi
Italy and Vietnam both banned flight connections to Taiwan as well.
As Reuters explained, Italy’s ban on Taiwan flights came about because the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies Taiwan as part of China. Even though the island is independently governed, the government in Beijing claims it as part of the People’s Republic, and has long blocked Taiwan’s participation in international bodies, even nonpolitical ones like the WHO.
The WHO recently classified the new coronavirus outbreak as a “global health emergency” but even then, the most recent travel advice posted on its website “advises against the application of any restrictions of international traffic.” [FULL STORY]