CAAC official gives thumbs up to cross-strait freighters

A top mainland official threw his weight behind the initiation of direct cross-strait freighter services yesterday but experts said they were unlikely to start soon because of Taiwan's political concerns.

A spokesman for the mainland's aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), said he saw no complications in launching the services and hoped it would be in place soon.

'We hope for the earliest opening, but it depends on the attitude of the Taiwan authorities,' said Pu Zhaozhou, who negotiates cross-strait affairs for the CAAC. 'So far we have not received a response from them. The services should be run by both mainland and Taiwan airlines and there should not be a stopover at a third destination, either in Hong Kong or Macau.'

Taiwanese politician John Chang Hsiao-yen, the grandson of late Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek, proposed a cross-strait freighter service this month.

The plan, initially proposed to provide cargo space to compensate for the reduction in belly freight capacity due to the Sars outbreak, was supported by 129 other legislators, including those from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). But Taiwan authorities have yet to put the wheels in motion; China Airlines and Eva Airlines were still awaiting the green light from the government yesterday.

Richard Hu Weixing, an associate professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong, said security was a major concern for Taiwan.

'Cargo services are no different than passenger flights. Both aircraft appear the same in the radar system. The major reason for Taiwan's lack of interest is security,' Mr Hu said.