Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday urged the creation of a two-hour “life circle” with the opening of direct flights between Taipei Songshan Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport next month to boost development in both cities.
Hau made the call as he toured several major public construction projects in Shanghai, accompanied by Chinese officials.
As a flight between the two airports takes only about 80 minutes, their proximity and key regional locations could make them transportation hubs in the Yangtze Delta and the Asia-Pacific region respectively, with the establishment of direct air links between the cities, he said.
Air links would closely connect the two cities and provide a boost to trade and industrial development on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, Hau said.
Songshan, which is being renovated for the arrival of larger numbers of Chinese tourists starting on July 18, stands a good chance of becoming an airport for international short-range flights, he said, adding that he is confident that the airport would be fully ready in time for the influx of Chinese tourists.
Hau arrived in Shanghai on Monday at the head of a delegation of Taipei City Government officials for a five-day visit.
The main reason for the Shanghai trip was for Hau to witness the signing of an agreement on Taipei’s participation in the 2010 World Expo Shanghai 2010.
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