Passengers of flight MU2527 of China Eastern airlines get off the plane at the Phoenix International Airport in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

BEIJING, June 4  -- China regrets the U.S. decision to suspend scheduled passenger flights of Chinese carriers to and from the United States, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thursday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on a statement issued Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which announced the order to suspend the scheduled passenger flights of Chinese carriers to and from the United States, effective from June 16.

"We regret the aforementioned U.S. decision," Zhao told a routine press briefing. "As far as I know, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is making stern representations with the U.S. side."

The spokesperson said the CAAC has been in close contact with the U.S. Department of Transportation over flight arrangements, with some progress already made.

The Chinese side has announced adjustment of relevant policies, Zhao said, expressing the hope that the U.S. side will not create obstacles to bilateral efforts to solve problems.