Kelvin Lau, a Hong Kong-based airlines analyst at Daiwa Securities, said: "Maybe it's just a political gesture for Chinese airlines to say they won't pay - showing that China strongly opposes the rule.
"But it may not work as this is a law with legislative power and the EU would not easily let go."
He perhaps knows better than I, but if he is just high or low of the mark this could prove interesting. Of course a lot rests on the legal basis of the various bi and multilateral air accords that have been inked but in such standoffs one has to ask "do the EU nations need air access to China
more than China needs air access to the EU?" This will prove to be the leverage point around which any resolution "or standown" will hinge. Of course I think the answer to this question is obvious that the EU nations need China access far more than China needs them. Plus, Air China is in harness in the Star Alliance with, among so many others, LH with would get them a lift there if they really needed it...so I cannot see the Chinese foregoing much sleep over this one.