China, Taiwan sign pact to operate direct flights

TIME TO BE FRIENDS: Taiwan's newly elected President Ma Ying-jeou (R) favours closer ties with China.

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Keywords: Tourism, Flights

New Delhi: China and Taiwan have signed a formal agreement to expand flights and increase tourism. Mainland and Taiwan airlines would operate 18 flights each.

As many as 3,000 China tourists, the number Taiwan's newly elected President Ma Ying-jeou first proposed, could come to the island per day, Taiwan media said.

China's Xinhua news agency said service would include 36 return flights for every weekend, from Friday to Monday, and the number would increase according to demand.

"It's a very positive step forward," said Taiwan businesswoman Natasha Lai. "Before, we were not able to travel directly for business or pleasure. Now to see our sentiment reciprocated on the other side is great."

The two sides are holding their first formal talks after almost a decade and this is the most senior level meeting between the two sides since they split at the end of a civil war in 1949.

Taiwan's negotiators are in Beijing to discuss trade, travel and communication and the two countries have also agreed to set up permanent offices in their countries for the first time.

The agreements are being hailed as a leap forward in the relation between the two rivals.

The two sides, with no formal diplomatic ties, are meeting at a time when their bilateral relations are at thaw.

Days before the talks Ma suggested that peace talks could be held only if China withdraws its missiles aimed at Taiwan. Ma's Koumintang Party favours closer ties with China.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949 and has pledged to bring the island under its control, by force if necessary.

But the election of Ma, who won by a landslide in March on pledges to boost the local economy by improving trade with China, has suddenly warmed relations.

"This is good for Ma Ying-jeou because he wants to deliver in his first 100 days," said Joseph Cheng, political science professor at City University of Hong Kong.

"Beijing is eager to win the hearts of the Taiwan people."

(With inputs from Reuters)