China stopped all foreign pilots flying in China
 

Heard as of yesterday that all foreign pilots have been banned from flying for Chinese airlines by CAAC...any truth to this please?

CAAC
 

I've still got friends flying there. Where did you hear this?

The CAAC released the airways approved for use by foreigners for the Northern Winter schedule. The number of airways have been reduced from close to 400 to 109 (give or take a few).

So no, not banned at all, just severely restricted for at least the next 6 months. Will wait and see what the “Summer Schedule” airways allocation brings.

Why? Because you're going to take spy pictures with your iPhone?

“this is Chinese navy, you are entering”

”this is the US Navy, we are exercising our freedom of international....”

”Filipino coast guard, weird animal noises, followed by blatant insults aimed at someone’s mother”

🤣🤣 an accurate assessment

Stop asking yourself why the Chinese Government do anything or you will go crazy, it just is.
Or you might et the "Because this is China"

Does this imply that as an expat pilot in China you are restricted to certain routes only?
While your Chinese colleagues get to fly the other routes?

Correct, and it has always been this way. It is just now that those airways you can use as a foreigner have been greatly reduced in number.

just interested - any explanation/justification for the selected routes foreign devils can/cannot fly?

1. Language/military controllers can't converse in English that well
2. Yes, certain areas contain sensitive sites that cannot be viewed by non-security cleared foreign devils (though they will never admit it)
3. Some airports on the Western side are no go for foreigners due to whatever reason hence no reason to be able to fly on that airway.

Some of those airways are not even worthy of mention as most are very short anyway.