Taiwan travelers keep plans despite Chinese military drills

Travellers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport say they are keeping to their plans on Tuesday (December 30), as China's military drills around Taiwan threaten to disrupt international flights.

Eleven of Taipei's 14 flight routes will be affected by the drills, Taiwan's Civil Aviation Authority said, impacting more than 100,000 passengers and leaving only a northeast corridor to Japan open for commercial flights. Routes to the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu near China's coast are blocked.

50-year-old engineer Fan Jui-lan learned about China's "Justice Mission 2025" drills the night before she and her family were due to fly to Hangzhou, China. She expected delays but still decided to stick to her original schedule.

"We're flying with Air China. They wouldn't shoot down their own planes, right?" she said.

Taiwan’s transport ministry said authorities will divert international flights away from dangerous areas or announce alternative routes to ensure air traffic safety.

China views Taiwan as its own territory. Taiwan rejects China's claimed sovereignty, maintaining that only its people can decide the island's future.

Production: Yi-Chin Lee/Reuters