"We Are One": Chinese Airline Refuses Boarding to Taiwanese Passport Holders

Spring Airlines China: "Passengers Must Use Passports Issued or Recognized by China"
Airline Blames 'System Upgrade' Error as Controversy Grows

Spring Airlines China, a Chinese airline, is facing controversy after refusing boarding to passengers holding Taiwanese passports.

Image of Spring Airlines China

On September 23 (local time), Taiwanese media outlets such as United Daily News reported, citing sources, that since September 12, Spring Airlines China has stopped accepting Taiwanese passports as valid identification documents for ticket purchases, in accordance with the "One China" policy.

Recently, it was reported that a Taiwanese resident living in China purchased a Spring Airlines China international flight departing from China to Japan and other destinations, but received a refund notification due to a "mismatch of identification documents." This has led to a wave of protests and complaints in Taiwanese communities residing in China regarding Spring Airlines China.

In response, Spring Airlines China stated in an email sent from its customer service center to ticket purchasers on the morning of the previous day that the measure was to strictly comply with China's national sovereignty and legal regulations, emphasizing that it was to uphold the "One China" principle. Accordingly, Taiwanese citizens must use a passport issued or recognized by China in order to purchase tickets from the airline.

However, as the controversy intensified, Spring Airlines China shifted its position, stating that the issue was not a "political matter" but rather a problem caused by a system upgrade error. The airline added, "Taiwanese travelers can continue to use their Taiwanese passports as before."

Nevertheless, some officials analyzed that this policy may be related to a new decision by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) regarding the verification of Taiwanese passports.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, uses the term "China Taiwan" under its "One China" policy and exerts pressure on the international community not to list Taiwan as a separate country.