Cabinet unveils cross-strait links plan

The government's yearlong assessment of the impact of direct cross-strait transportation was published yesterday laying down basic guidelines for direct air and sea transportation between Taiwan and China.

The Cabinet, which started assessing the impact of direct cross-strait transportation and planning-related measures last September on President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) instruction, released a summary of the assessment report at a press conference.

Premier Yu Shyi-kun and senior officials from six government agencies, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Council of Economic Planning and Development and the National Security Council, announced the main findings of the assessment.

MOTC Vice Minister Tsai Duei (蔡堆) said that CKS International Airport and the Kaohsiung International Airport will be the airports for direct flights to and from China.

Tsai said China may choose any of its international airports for direct air links with Taiwan.

According to a survey conducted by the Civil Aeronautics Administration, the first five mainland China airports Taiwanese airlines wish to be opened for direct air links are Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Xiamen and Shenzhen.

One of the basic principles of direct air links, however, is that, because of security concerns there would be no direct, point-to-point cross-strait flights.

Aircraft flying between Taiwan and China will still have to detour through the airspace of a third territory, probably either Hong Kong or Japan's Ryukyu Islands, before arriving at their destination, Tsai said. Only the current requirement that planes actually land in the third territory will be lifted.

There was no set agenda for the order in which routes should be opened to cargo and passengers, Tsai said, contradicting remarks by Chen earlier this week according to which the government intended to open cargo routes first.

Either scheduled flights or charter flights could be operated, Tsai said.

As for the choice of harbors for direct sea transportation, Tsai said according to Taiwanese businessmen's needs and operational considerations, the current four international harbors can be open for direct sea transportation between the two sides. But Taiwan has to negotiate with China about which harbor or harbors the latter is willing to open for direct sea transportation links, Tsai said.

The report also suggested the two sides negotiate and settle on a nomenclature to use for the routes, to prevent confusion about whether they are "domestic" routes, as China might seek to claim.

"The materialization of direct cross-strait transportation depends mainly on the improvement of cross-strait interaction," said MAC Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

The report cautioned that China has, however, so held onto its intransigent position that all cross-strait routes are "domestic" in nature and that Taiwan abide by the "one-China" principle in its treatment of cross-strait transportation.

"If we submit to China's political positioning in handling direct cross-strait transportation, our national sovereignty will be severely damaged and international status lowered," the report said.

But it is not just a political question. Whether shipping links are defined as domestic or not has significance for the international carriers since it may severely limit which shipping operators may take part in what are expected to be extremely lucrative routes.

"No political positioning should be involved in promoting direct cross-strait transportation. All related issues should be negotiated on an equal and dignified basis," Yu said yesterday.

Meanwhile, Taipei Major Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said he will continue fighting for an opportunity for Taipei's Sungshan Airport, designated for domestic flights only, to become an airport for direct cross-strait transportation.

"It is the business sector's wish for the domestic airport to be included in the direct cross-strait transportation plan," the staunchly pro-unification Ma said.

Also see stories:
Cabinet shares links assessment
Lawmakers blast MAC direct-links report
Local air carriers unfazed by overseas power outage