China's airspace restrictions hamper Silk Road strategy - official

BEIJING (Reuters) - Domestic airspace restrictions will make it difficult for China to add air routes from its western regions to countries where the government is promoting its Silk Road strategy, according to an air traffic control official. The comments were made by Gao Yi, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Administration of China's air traffic control bureau at an aviation forum in Beijing on Thursday. Under the so-called "One Belt, One Road" initiative, China aims to create a modern Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to boost trade and extend its global influence. Projects under the plan include a network of railways, highways, oil and gas pipelines, power grids, Internet networks, maritime and other infrastructure links across Central, West and South Asia to as far as Greece, Russia and Oman, increasing China's connections to Europe and Africa. (Reporting by Fang Yan; Editing by Nicholas Heath)