“...banned as of January 31st... What’s going on??”
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I’d like to know the answer to that question also.
My understanding is that flights from China were temporarily banned because of the virus. Now they will be permanently banned until they start playing fair with us.
On January 31 Trump barred Chinese NATIONALS from entering the US.
He did not ban Chinese airlines from flying here. Indeed US Citizens and legal residents were permitted to return to the US, and some did so on Chinese airlines.
In truth he did not ban ALL Chinese nationals either as that order was riddled with exceptions.
This is the next up-ratchet in the trade war and has little to do with COVID directly.
Apparently the devil is in the details of the wording. Trump thinks outloud, and those thoughts do not always translate into executable orders.
https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/22/trump-never-actually-banned-flights-from-china-or-/
The United States “is suspending the scheduled passenger operations of all Chinese carriers to and from the United States,”
I am not sure if that means only direct flights between those two countries (by any Chinese airline), or whether it means no International flights at all, by any Chinese airline, at any US airport.
I think it means no more Chinese airplanes flying in US airspace, even if it is a flight from/to a third country, with no stop in China.
It might be a straight out trade dispute, where we are defending US carriers that were hurt by Chinese restrictions - reciprocity.
It might also be a security move.
Perhaps Intel suggests that China might have a plan for a nuclear first strike aboard civilian airliners, or an EMP precursor, or some other type of Military/terrorist operation.
Is it just coincidence that we also recently announced that we would pull out of the Open Skies Treaty?
In any case, it does not seem to be tied to disease prevention - it seems economic and/or security related.
I think Trump FINALLY has serious intelligence (evidence) that the Chinese have VAST espionage networks including so-called "STUDENTS" occurring within our country.
IT IS LAW IN CHINA THAT IF YOU ARE A CITIZEN YOU ARE DUTY-BOUND TO SPY ON THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO HELP THE MOTHERLAND CHINA.
Trump needs to BOOT every Chinese national OUT of the United States. Chinese females who come to the United States IMMEDIATELY GET PREGNANT and have their anchor babies in our hospitals. THIS IS PART OF THE LONG GAME OF CONQUEST BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT!