China calls U.S. flight suspensions 'very unreasonable'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Chinese government on Friday called the Biden administration's decision to suspend 44 flights by Chinese carriers to the United States "very unreasonable."

The U.S. Transportation Department said the flights were being suspended in response to China's decision to suspend 44 flights from United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines in recent weeks.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said the policy of barring some flights after positive COVID-19 cases are discovered "has been applied equally to Chinese and foreign airlines in a fair, open and transparent way."

"It is very unreasonable for the U.S. to suspend Chinese airlines' flights on this ground. We urge the U.S. side to stop disrupting and restricting the normal passenger flights operated by Chinese airlines."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese)