China opens new air routes near Taiwanese islands

China's aviation regulator said on Friday it had opened new air routes to the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou, routes which are situated very close to the Taiwan-controlled islands of Kinmen and Matsu.

Taiwan expressed anger in January after China "unilaterally" changed a flight path called M503 close to the sensitive median line in the Taiwan Strait. The new routes to Xiamen and Fuzhou connect to the M503 flight route.