Direct air, sea, postal links start to Taiwan

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-12-16  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

DIRECT air, sea and mail links began yesterday between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, ending a 59-year ban amid warming ties.

Direct daily transport started as a mainland-based Shenzhen Airlines flight took off from the Shenzhen Airport for Taipei at 7:20am, followed by a Taiwan-based TransAsia Airways jetliner from Taipei to Shanghai.

There were 16 flights in all yesterday between Taipei and six mainland cities. More flights across the Taiwan Strait will be opened this week.

The direct air links will cut flight time and fuel costs significantly as planes are no longer required to fly through Hong Kong's airspace.

The start of direct flights marked a key step in the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties said Zhang Zizhong, executive director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.

"Given the global financial crisis, cross-Strait direct flights started at exactly the right time," Zheng said at a ceremony in Shanghai. "Direct links will help the mainland and Taiwan jointly overcome the current economic difficulty."

The launch of direct links came after authorities on both sides signed a series of landmark agreements last month in Taipei. They agreed to launch regular passenger charter flights, which formerly flew only on weekends and during the four major traditional festivals.

They also agreed to launch direct charter cargo flights between two mainland terminals, Pudong in Shanghai and Guangzhou, and two Taiwan terminals, Taoyuan and Kaohsiung. There will be 60 return cargo flights per month, evenly divided between mainland and Taiwan airlines.

Yesterday also marked the start of direct shipping and postal services across the 300-kilometer-long, 150-kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait.

Zheng Jian, 81, became the first mainland resident to post direct mail to his Taiwan relatives at a ceremony yesterday morning in Beijing.