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Beijing eager to start cross-strait flight negotiations

A Beijing official in charge of aviation affairs sent a letter to the Taipei Airlines Association (TAA) yesterday to request negotiations on matters concerning cross-strait charter passenger and cargo flights, especially the technical details involving passenger charter services during next year's Lunar New Year holiday.

The letter, addressed to TAA president Fan Chih-chiang (范志強), was written by Pu Zhaozhou (浦照洲), director of Taiwan affairs at the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Pu is also executive director of Beijing's Civil Aviation Association.

Pu proposed that the negotiations can be conducted according to the model of the talks held between the two sides in Macau earlier this year on the launch of special cross-strait charter services for this year's Lunar New Year holiday.

Pu pointed out that this is the second time this year that he has written to the TAA to express Beijing's desire to hold combined negotiations on the opening of charter passenger and cargo flights across the strait.

On the subject of cross-strait charter cargo flights, Pu suggested that airlines from the two sides be allowed to participate and cooperate in the operations for mutual benefit and reciprocity.

He stressed that China is fully prepared to begin the negotiations any time.

In Taipei, Fan confirmed that he had already received the letter and said he has transferred it to the Mainland Affairs Council for instruction on how to react to the invitation.

Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) announced on Aug. 3 that the government had agreed to hold simultaneous negotiations with China concerning both cargo and passenger charter flights.
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