China lifts military controls delaying flights

China's civil aviation authority has decided to abort control measures from Friday in place for flights in the country's eastern, central and southern regions while a military exercise goes on in southeast coastal areas.

After flight delays attributable to the controls, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said flights in these regions will return to normal operation once the controls are removed, Xinhua reported.

Civil and military aviation authorities will enhance cooperation in mitigating flight delays next month, the administration added, warning that the likelihood of stormy weather in August and other unspecified airspace activities may still have an impact on flights.

Defence Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng had earlier Thursday admitted that the ongoing military exercise had affected civil flights.