China is threatening to impound European aircraft if the European Union seizes Chinese aircraft for not paying EU carbon emission taxes through its compulsory cap-and-trade scheme, according to the Shipping Gazette. 
"The [Chinese] government will take the same kind of measures," China Air Transport Association secretary general Weir Zhenzhong told Reuters on the sidelines of an International Air Transport Association (IATA) meeting in Beijing.
"Chinese airlines are unanimous. We won't provide the data [on which the tax is based]," said Mr Wei. "We would not like to see a situation of 'you hold up my planes and I hold yours'."
EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard has warned that Chinese aircraft may be fined or seized if they don't submit emissions data within days.
A Beijing directive told Chinese airlines to ignore the March 31 deadline for submitting carbon emissions data for a taxation scheme and has asked the EU to delay it a year.
China has put off US$14 billion in long-haul Airbus orders since the conflict began, joining India, Russia and the US in protest over the emissions tax.
China's warning came as the UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) expressed concern over growing threats and counter threats.
"We are very concerned about what is happening with Europeans and China - retaliatory measures. We are very concerned about that, because we want air transport to continue growing," said International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) president Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez.