The launch of scheduled flights between China and Taiwan may take place later this year
Regular flights between China and rival Taiwan look set to become reality in the near future following a change in government in Taiwan that has led to a warming of relations.
China considers Taiwan a renegade province and there have been no diplomatic ties or regular flights since 1949. The ban on flights means most passengers travelling between the two sides must transit at Hong Kong or Macau, although in recent years deals have been worked out to allow charter flights over four annual holiday periods.
There are signs now that regular flights may soon be allowed, after the two sides held their highest-level meetings since their split in 1949. Taiwanese voters went to the polls recently and elected a new government that China views in a more favourable light than that of Chen Shui-bian, who has been Taiwan's president for eight years.
The new government takes power on 20 May and ahead of the change the leaders-in-waiting have been seeking to warm up to China in many areas. One key initiative has been a proposal for regular flights to be allowed on weekends from 4 July, increasing to daily from later this year. In mid-April vice-president-elect Vincent Siew met with Chinese premier Hu Jintao and brought up the issue. According to the official China Daily newspaper, Hu responded by saying China would "make efforts to push forward negotiations on weekend charter flights and mainland tourists' travel to Taiwan".
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Source: Airline Business
