Beijing: From April 16 to 18, China plans to close the airspace north of Taiwan, according to four sources with knowledge of the situation. This move may cause delays for flights in the area.

Requests for comment from the foreign ministries of China and Taiwan were not immediately fulfilled.

Due to the sensitivity of the situation, four officials outside of China who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity said the ban would disrupt Taiwan's northern flight information region (FIR) and that they were unaware of the rationale behind the restrictions.

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In response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-recent wen's meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, which incensed Beijing, Beijing has just finished several days of military training around self-ruled Taiwan.

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According to a senior official with direct knowledge of the situation, the flight ban will have an impact on between 60% and 70% of flights between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, flights between Taiwan and South Korea, flights between Japan and North America, and flights between Taiwan and Taiwan.

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Prior restrictions implemented during Chinese military drills last August caused significant flight disruptions in the area, forcing some pilots to carry extra fuel, according to OPSGROUP, an aviation industry cooperative that provides advice on flight risks.