The chinese mainland will work hard to promote charter flights across the Taiwan Strait during the upcoming Spring Festival and welcome talks on the issue.
The mainland hopes that direct charter flights can be operated by airlines on both sides of the Strait to meet the needs of Taiwan residents doing business on the mainland, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, said on Sunday.
The direct flights would save time, free business people from the fatigue of a longer journey and save operating costs for the airlines involved, the spokesman added.
He said that it is an internal issue between Chinese on both sides of the Strait to decide the procedures and related technical and business issues of the charter flights, which should have been settled through the cross-Strait negotiation mechanism.
"But we cannot get the talks going because of the reason known to all," he said.
Taiwan has banned direct transport links with the mainland since 1949. Travelers to and from the mainland usually have to go via Hong Kong or Macau, adding about four hours to what should be a one-hour flight.
For the benefit of the Taiwan compatriots, the mainland suggested that airlines across the Strait communicate directly over technical and business details concerning the charter flights in order to reach a consensus and make arrangements for them to operate their own flights.
"It's practical and feasible to do so," said the spokesman. "As a matter of fact, charter flights were run in this way in the Spring Festival of 2003, and were endorsed by the Taiwan side."
"We have noticed that for some time the major leaders and relevant departments of Taiwan have advocated launching direct charter flights operated by airlines on both sides of the Strait for the coming Spring Festival," the spokesman said.
He said the mainland hopes "they can keep their word" and create conditions that will allow Taiwanese businessmen who have had a year's hard work in the mainland return home for family reunions.
Mainland authorities said they have also noticed that some opinion leaders and airline executives in Taiwan have expressed their willingness to come to the mainland for talks on possible charter flights.
"We welcome and are willing to exchange views with them," said the spokesman.
Trade between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan has boomed in recent years, and Taiwanese tourists and investors have been coming to the mainland in increasing numbers.
The issue is particularly significant in the days leading up to the Chinese New Year, when many Taiwan residents want to travel to see relatives on the mainland, and vice versa.
The holiday falls on February 9 this year.