China resumes flights to Taiwan
4th July 2008
China and Taiwan have resumed direct flights between the two countries for the first time in nearly 60 years.
A China Southern Airways flight to Taoyuan from Guangzhou was the first to operate under the new agreement.
China and Taiwan have had a frosty political relationship for years. China sees Taiwan as solely its territory, despite the islands’ separate government. Meanwhile, Taiwan has previously promoted itself as ‘the real China’.
Direct flights from China were banned by Taiwan’s government as a security risk. Even now, flights don’t fly directly but via Hong Kong airspace so as to not interrupt Taiwanese military monitoring of the Chinese mainland.
36 flights will operate but only between Fridays and Mondays.
The new link opens up access to Taiwan’s natural and cultural sights including Yushan (Jade Mountain), Taroko National Park and the capital Taipei, which boasts the world’s tallest building, Taipei 101.
Previously, travellers had to fly via Hong Kong or Macau.
Taiwan is expecting a big influx of Chinese tourists as a result of the new flights. It will grant 3,000 tourist visas a day to Chinese visitors.