▁authority , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁aircraft ▁and ▁equipment , ▁to ▁United ▁Airlines ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁leading ▁to ▁United ▁Airlines ▁operating ▁former ▁Pan ▁Am ▁routes ▁over ▁the ▁Pacific ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁which ▁was ▁previously ▁a ▁British ▁Crown ▁Col ony ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁a ▁British ▁dependent ▁territory ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁is ▁now ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁China ▁but ▁has ▁a ▁separate ▁air ▁agreement ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Mac au , ▁formerly ▁govern ed ▁by ▁Portugal ▁but ▁now ▁govern ed ▁by ▁China , ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁separate ▁air ▁agreement ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Taiwan ▁is ▁under ▁de ▁fact o ▁control ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁based ▁in ▁Tai pe i , ▁not ▁Be ij ing . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁sever ing ▁of ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁( T ai wan ) ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁establish ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁and ▁because ▁the ▁main land ▁government ▁does ▁not ▁control ▁Taiwan , ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁air ▁service ▁agreement ▁between ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁concerning ▁Taiwan . ▁However , ▁there ▁is ▁an ▁air ▁service ▁agreement ▁between ▁the ▁American ▁Institute ▁in ▁Taiwan ▁and ▁the ▁Tai pe i ▁Econom ic ▁and ▁Cultural ▁Represent ative ▁Office ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁fl ights , ▁air ▁far es ▁tend ▁to ▁be ▁high ▁between