The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed a new rule that would prevent Chinese airlines from flying over Russia on routes between the US and China, aiming to address what it considers an unfair advantage for Chinese carriers.
On October 9, 2025, the US DOT suggested the ban, which was seen by Reuters, in order “to balance the competitive gap” between the two countries.
Currently, some Chinese airlines continue to operate flights over Russian airspace, even though several nations around the world have imposed restrictions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The new directive from the US DOT reportedly describes the current situation as “unfair”, stating it has led to “substantial adverse competitive effects on US air carriers”, meaning that it puts US airlines at a competitive disadvantage on these routes, as they do not have similar access as Chinese airlines.
If the US DOT’s proposal is put into action, it could impact Chinese airlines operating on China-US routes, including Air China, China Eastern, Xiamen Airlines and China Southern Airlines.
The terms of the proposal allow Chinese carriers only 48 hours to reply, and the final order could be implemented as soon as November 2025.
New ruling amid rising geopolitical tensions
The order coincides with an ongoing trade war between the two largest economies in the world.
Tensions between Beijing and Washington are still high due to the US government’s tariff increase on Chinese goods, which were initially raised to 145% in April 2025. In response, China raised tariffs on US imports to 125%, further intensifying the trade conflict.
On May 12, 2025, the Trump administration reached a temporary tariff truce with China, deciding to reduce those tariffs to 10%. Currently, this tariff agreement is set to expire on November 10, 2025, but it is unclear what changes either country will implement once the agreement expires.
