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Taipei sees pact on New Year trips creating scope for 'further positive interactions'

Taiwan said last night it looked forward to further cross-strait developments after striking a deal with the mainland to allow direct flights over the Lunar New Year.

Joseph Wu Jau-shieh, who heads the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said in a late-night news conference the agreement  would help to build mutual trust.

'We expect the success in the charter flight talks can pave the way for further cross-strait talks,' said Mr Wu, adding the negotiations in Macau would 'provide a chance for the two sides to push for further positive cross-strait interactions'.

Four negotiators from Taiwan, including Billy Chang Kuo-cheng, director of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, and Michael Le Ta-hsin, chairman of the Taipei Airlines Association, held talks with four mainland aviation officials.

In their capacity as members of the  China Civil Aviation Association, the mainland side, led by Pu Zhaozhou , director of the General Administration for Civil Aviation  of China, reached agreement with the Taiwanese  to operate  two-way, direct charter flights from January 29 to February 20.

Mr Wu said Taiwan had wanted to include routes over Okinawa -  the shortest  for planes from Shanghai and Beijing - but the mainland insisted on a route requiring the airlines to fly over Hong Kong. 'We will seek to further negotiate with the mainland to see if other route options are possible,' he said.

The vice-chairman of the MAC, Chiu Tai-san,  said the two sides also committed to limiting the flights to passenger services, ruling out  'any form of missions that would go beyond the purpose of charter flights'.

The Taiwanese media expressed concern that the mainland side might make use of the flights to undermine the island's security.

But Vice-Defence Minister Hu Chen-fu  said the military did not think this was likely.

'Civilian airlines are considered slow-flying planes. They fly on fixed routes. The military has the absolute capability to monitor all air activities around Taiwan, making it unlikely for any civilian planes to engage in any sabotage activities.'

Mr Hu emphasised that the Defence Ministry had already made all the necessary assessments before agreeing to have the two sides launch the direct flights.

An upbeat Mr Chiu said he looked forward to more cross-strait talks to come, including direct cargo flights and cross-strait joint efforts to fight crime, which he believed would gradually lead to rapprochement across the strait.

'Instead of insisting that the charter flight is a one-off deal, during the Macau meeting, the mainland side showed signs of willing to hold more talks with us in the future,' he said.

Analysts agreed  the agreement was significant.

'It will contribute to the easing of the strained cross-strait situation,' said Byron Weng Sung-jan,  a professor at National Chi Nan University and  a presidential adviser.

Chang Wu-yueh,  professor at the Mainland Study Institute of Tamkang University,  said the agreement was  significant not only because  mainland planes would    be  allowed to fly to Taiwan for the first time in 55 years, but because it  paved the way for a peaceful and stable cross-strait relationship with  the chance for further talks.



Flights deal has helped build cross-strait trust, says Taiwan