Cathay Pacific Airways, the biggest airline in Hong Kong, on Monday expressed its grave concern over Taiwan's decision to quarantine Hong Kong residents and other travelers transiting Hong Kong.

Taiwan authorities announced Sunday it will stop issuing visas to citizens from the mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Canada for the next two weeks, unless absolutely essential. Stern quarantine measures were also taken for travelers arriving in Taiwan.

Hong Kong's Airport Authority said Hong Kong, Taiwanese and foreign airlines together canceled 32 flights to Taipei and nine flights to the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung on Monday.

China Airlines, Taiwan's largest air carrier, said it canceled four of the 11 scheduled flights from Hong Kong on Monday.

In it's statement, Cathay Pacific said Taiwan's new measures will further discourage air travel during the most difficult period of Asia's aviation industry, which suffered mainly from the spreading disease of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The spokesman for the Cathay Pacific said Hong Kong has already introduced appropriate and effective measures to prevent passengers who demonstrate SARS symptoms from traveling.

"Therefore, Cathay Pacific hopes authorities in Taiwan will reconsider the need for such a measure," the spokesman said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2003)