China airlines ignore ETS threat
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China will continue to oppose the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), despite warnings that the country’s airlines may face heavy fines for non-compliance.
The China Air Transport Association was reported saying on Thursday that carriers “will not abide by the system without being ordered to by the government”.
“Chinese airlines’ opposition to the Emissions Trading Scheme has not changed,” the China Daily reported the association’s Deputy Secretary-General, Chai Haibo, as saying. “The government has not released any new orders pertaining to this issue, so the carriers will follow the current orders.”
The EU recently gave eight Chinese airlines until mid-June to submit their carbon data, or face penalties. But the country’s major carriers appear unconcerned.
“Chinese airlines will march in step with the government and we are not worried about the EU’s warning,” said Luo Zhuping, Secretary of the China Eastern Airlines board.
China has also suspended all orders of Airbus wide-body jets in retaliation.