(Bloomberg) -- Washington is proposing to ban certain Chinese airlines from flying over Russian airspace on trips between China and the US, which would close a loophole that has allowed them to operate shorter routes and gain a competitive advantage over US carriers.

The US Transportation Department outlined the move in a filing released Thursday, proposing it would become effective 30 days after a final order is issued following a comment period. It cited a provision in a 1980 bilateral agreement that specifies “routes over third countries shall be conducted on routes available to the airlines of both parties, unless otherwise agreed.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized the proposed US restrictions at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday, saying they ar

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