TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has accused China of withholding information about a new airport being built close to its Kinmen islands, saying the lack of communication threatens aviation safety, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The Civil Aviation Administration said that Beijing has ignored repeated requests for details about Xiamen’s new Xiangan Airport, which is set to open next year less than 10 kilometers from Kinmen Airport. The agency said such a close distance requires coordination to avoid safety issues.

The agency said it had sought information through cross-strait channels to assess how the new facility might affect Kinmen’s airspace and operations. “However, the relevant Chinese civil aviation authorities have not provided any information to us to date,” the agency said.

“China has an obligation to ensure that the newly built Xiamen Xiangan Airport will not affect our airspace,” it added. The agency urged Beijing’s air traffic control authorities to begin talks immediately, calling communication and coordination “the first step to ensuring safety.”

Chinese authorities, including the Taiwan Affairs Office and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, have not responded to requests for comment. Construction work on Xiangan Airport is visible from Kinmen.

Kinmen Airport primarily serves domestic routes but also handles international charter flights. The islands, just 3 km from China at their closest point, were once the site of clashes between the two sides.

Taiwanese officials have voiced fears that China could use the new airport to expand economic influence over Kinmen, part of a broader development plan expected to launch early next year. Taipei has previously accused Beijing of unilaterally opening new flight routes near its offshore islands without consultation.