MAC announces cross-strait flights plan

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday announced the cross-strait chartered flight plans for China-based Taiwanese businessmen for next year's Lunar New Year period.

The chartered flight plan spans three weeks, starting Jan. 9 and ending Feb. 2. The four destination airports are the CKS International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport in Taiwan, and China's Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Putong Airport.

Like cross-strait chartered flights launched during this year's Lunar New Year vacation, the flights have to stop over at a third point, said Fu Don-cheng (傅棟成), director of the council's economic affairs department.

This year, flights originating in Taiwan during the Lunar New Year had to stop over in Hong Kong or Macau, though passengers did not disembark. Stopovers at either of these two points were also required on return flights from China.

Fu the government is preparing to add several "third points" to next year's chartered flights. These third points could be located in neighboring countries and the Japanese island Okinawa is one of the favorite points.

Fu to unveil where the third points might be, saying the government is still negotiating with several countries. An announcement regarding these points will be made as soon as Taiwan and the countries reach agreement, he said.

Fu next year's chartered flight plan as "more flexible" than this year's.

"We have added the Beijing International Capital Airport to the destination airports. We have also been preparing to increase the choice in third points," he said.

Responding China's request to allow its airlines to run the chartered flights, Fu said the government will permit Chinese airlines to join the operation if China agrees to negotiate with Taiwan about the matter.

China asked the council to revoke the third-point design so that the cross-strait airplanes can fly non-stop journeys.

Fu the non-stop flights will be "possible" if China agrees to talk to Taiwan.

"Everything is possible during negotiations," he said.

The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), the semi-official organization handling cross-strait affairs, will be sending an invitation to its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, to negotiate details about the flight plans, Fu said.

The council insisted the negotiations have to be conducted by the semi-official bodies, while China wanted both sides' airlines to sort out the details among themselves.

The council has stated Taiwan's sovereignty may be encroached on if the government permits private companies, such as airlines, to decide the chartered flights issue.

The council's hopes to have talks with China on the flight plan have been widely perceived as being slim, because both sides would not talk to the negotiating bodies proposed by the other.

Asked the council will respond if China rejects the invitation to negotiate, Fu said the council hopes to cooperate with China so as to "care for the needs of China-based Taiwanese businessmen."

"We hope to cooperate with China on the flight plans on the basis of good mutual communication," Fu said.

Taiwanese have to send applications to related Chinese authorities for approval to run the chartered flights.

Fu not explain how the council will react if China rejects the applications.

It is unlikely that China will not grant the applications, as it did so for this year's chartered flights, Fu said.

The SEF estimated more than one million Taiwanese businessmen and their families are based in China. Only some 1,400 of them used the chartered flights this year, Fu said.

The businessmen can also choose to travel home through the small three links between Kinmen and Matsu during next year's Lunar New Year period, Fu said.

This year, only businessmen based in Fujian Province could take advantage of the small three links.

"During next year's Lunar New Year, Taiwanese businessmen based in any part of China will be able to use the small three links," Fu said.

Travelers the small three links take boats from Fujian to Kinmen or Matsu and fly to Taiwan from the islands.