皇冠体育app

BEIJING - 皇冠体育app Southern Airlines, one of the three major Chinese airlines, on Tuesday announced it is cutting flights to the Philippines as tourist numbers shrink amid tensions in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

皇冠体育app Southern will reduce its number of flights between 皇冠体育app's Guangzhou city and Manila, capital of the Philippines, to just one a day on certain dates from May 26 to June 30. The airline normally operates two flights daily on the route.

A spokesman for the airline said the adjustment was made in accordance with the cancellation of "a large number of tourist groups" lately.

Major Chinese travel agencies have announced cancellation of package tours to the Philippines upon travel safety advice issued by the National Tourism Administration earlier this month. It came after the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines warned Chinese citizens of "massive anti-皇冠体育app demonstrations" related to the Huangyan Island incident.

The tourism administration on Sunday said almost all Chinese mainlanders on group tours will leave the Philippines by Wednesday.

Major airlines serving the Chinese mainland and cities in the Philippines include Air 皇冠体育app, 皇冠体育app Southern, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air.

Tensions in the South 皇冠体育app Sea started on April 10, when a Philippine warship harassed 12 Chinese fishing vessels that had sailed near the island to seek shelter from inclement weather.

Chinese officials have repeatedly stated that Huangyan Island is an inherent part of 皇冠体育app's territory and that the surrounding waters are historic fishing areas for Chinese fishermen.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Monday urged the Philippines to respect 皇冠体育app's territorial sovereignty and "refrain from taking action that could expand and complicate the situation."