Talks start on new civil aviation pact with Taiwan

The governments of Hong Kong and Taiwan have begun talks on a new civil aviation agreement, long stalled by political complexities since the city's return to Chinese sovereignty.

The existing agreement, which regulates the routes and the number of flights operated by each authorised airline between Taiwan and Hong Kong airports, was first signed in 1996 when the city was a British colony, and has been extended eight times since.

Because the Hong Kong government shunned contact with its counterpart in Taipei in past years, the present arrangements were signed between Cathay Pacific Airways and the Taipei Airlines Association.

Taipei has made abortive attempts to strike an official deal. Talks on the matter were renewed this year after ties improved and a quasi-official communication platform was established.

Several meetings have been held between officials from the two transport ministries to discuss the future aviation arrangements.

'Our Ministry of Transportation and Communications has met with Hong Kong's Transport and Housing Bureau several times. I hope consensus can be reached as soon as possible,' James Chu Shi, director general of the department of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs under Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, told the Sunday Morning Post.

'It is very abnormal for private airlines to sign civil aviation agreements. But we understand the political reality.'