``Now that China is willing to talk, it’s likely the two sides can reach agreement on the charter flights,’’ said Liu Bih- rong, a political scientist at Taipei’s Soochow University.
Beijing’s latest push for direct charter flights across the Taiwan Straits has raised high hopes for immediate talks with Taipei in time for the upcoming travel season.[/quote]
Although the scale being discussed is only Chinese New Year flights, still, this looks more hopeful than normal.
[quote=“Mr He”]The Chinese preconditions for direct links are too harsh.
I see no way any Taiwanese govt will accept the ‘One China’ principle.[/quote]
I didn’t see anything in the above-mentioned news articles about the PRC insisting on the “one-China principle” in this particular case. That’s not to say that they won’t come up with a spoiler at the last minute, but so far their two big demands are that flights must really be direct this time (not via Macau or Hong Kong), and that mainland airlines can participate.
Looks like the talks are shaping up pretty well, and the flights could go to both Taipei and Kaohsiung, as well as Beijing and Guangzhou. We’ll see what happens when the real negotiation starts.
It would be good news indeed, if there were direct flights up to CNY. the we foreigners just need to be able to get PRC visas here, and we will be on a roll… Shanghai nightlife only 90 minutes away…
[quote=“Mr He”]while 3 should be “cheaper than over Hong Kong”, before it looks good for us non Taiwanese.[/quote]But it’s usually more expensive to fly direct…
And I can see a China visa shop opening here when a Taiwan visa shop opens in China… ie. never.
So an agreement was reached today (1/15) to allow direct* flights between Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Taipei and Kaohsiung.
According to reports only “businessmen” will be able to use them, and they’ll operate between 1/29 and 2/29.
I live in Shanghai right now, and am using my American passport. Does anyone have any information on how I can snag a ticket for one of these historic flights?
*the flights have to go through HK or Macao airspace, but do not have to land.
[quote]China and Taiwan aviation officials agreed to resume charter flights for the Lunar New Year, allowing six Chinese airlines to fly to Taiwan for the first time in more than half a century.
The flights, the second in three years, will involve six carriers from each side operating a combined 48 charters between three cities in China and two in Taiwan, according to a joint statement issued after talks in Macau today. [/quote]
[quote=“Tetsuo”]So can someone clear this up for me?
[quote]China and Taiwan aviation officials agreed to resume charter flights for the Lunar New Year, allowing six Chinese airlines to fly to Taiwan for the first time in more than half a century.
The flights, the second in three years, will involve six carriers from each side operating a combined 48 charters between three cities in China and two in Taiwan, according to a joint statement issued after talks in Macau today. [/quote][/quote]
First time in fifty years for direct flights to Taiwan from China.
Second time in three years for any flights between Taiwan and China.
Attempts to run direct flights have faltered in the past, notably in 2003, when charter planes were forced to divert to Hong Kong and Macau in order not to travel directly between China and Taiwan.
[quote=“OutofChaos”]First time in fifty years for direct flights to Taiwan from China.
Second time in three years for any flights between Taiwan and China.
Attempts to run direct flights have faltered in the past, notably in 2003, when charter planes were forced to divert to Hong Kong and Macau in order not to travel directly between China and Taiwan. [/quote]
So first time in fifty years going China->Taiwan, second time in three Taiwan->China?
Unless I missed something big, mainland China airlines did not fly to Taiwan in 2003.
So, second time in three years for Taiwan airlines to fly to and land in the China mainland and return to Taiwan. A stopover in Hong Kong or Macao was required in 2003, not now.
First time in 55 years for a direct flight between mainland China and Taiwan. This will include mainland China airlines as well as Taiwan airlines. They will fly non-stop both ways.
Only charter flights are approved. Passengers are restricted by status. The number of flights is limited. There is a limited time period.
[quote]Pu Zhaozhou, vice-president of the Cross-Strait Aviation Transport Exchange Council, exchanged views with Le Daxin, chairman of the Taipei Aviation Transport Commerce Trade Council, on technical and operation issues on the charter flights.
According to the consensus, non-stop flights between mainland's cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Taiwan's Taipei and Kaohsiung will be in operation from Jan. 29 to Feb. 20 for Taiwanese businessmen work on the mainland and their relatives to go home for the Lunar New Year Holidays that begins on Feb. 9, a traditional festival for family reunion.
Each side will have six airlines to operate 24 non-stop round-trip flights via Hong Kong.
The two sides also reached consensus on issues concerning crew members.
The charter flights are designed to allow Taiwan business people and their relatives to go home by a shorter and more direct air route. Previously, travelers must stop at a third destination, usually Hong Kong and Macao when flying between China's mainland and Taiwan. [/quote]
Note that the “…via Hong Kong…” means that they will fly non-stop but will fly through Hong Kong airspace at some point in their flight. So the words “direct flight” should really be “non-stop.”
But four of Saturday’s seven flights arrived well ahead of schedule, with Air China’s flight from Beijing to Kaohsiung taking only 3 3/4 hours - one hour less than the scheduled time.
Taiwanese news media speculated Sunday that the planes had taken short cuts and failed to pass through Hong Kong territory.
Taiwan has long feared that Chinese jet fighters and bombers might try to blend into busy commercial air traffic and attack the island[/quote]