China cuts air tickets to Arabs

HONG KONG -- Beijing authorities have instructed Chinese airlines in Hong Kong to halt ticket sales to nationals of 19 countries, mainly those in the Middle East.

China National Aviation Corp., the sole agent of 10 mainland airlines in Hong Kong, told travel agents in an Oct. 3 memo to stop selling tickets to China to holders of certain passports and to refund tickets already bought.

China has tightened controls on Middle Easterners trying to travel to mainland China in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States and the retaliatory strikes on Afghanistan.