President Chen Shui-bian indicated today, November 10, at a high-level national security meeting that, “To open an opportunity for cross-Strait direct transportation, we propose that at the current stage, both sides can use the Taiwan-Hong Kong commercial air route negotiations as a model, to immediately start consultation regarding issues such as cargo chartered flights and lunar new year passenger chartered flights that are two-way, reciprocal and do not have to stop in a third location.” This has fully shown the Taiwan Government’s sincerity and determination through its flexible and pragmatic handling of matters that involve the cross-Strait chartered flights for passengers and cargo, with the aim for the resumption of cross-Strait negotiations, and commencement of mutually beneficial and reciprocal exchanges.
Based on the directive of Premier Yu Shyi-kun at the Meeting of Economy and Finance on October 11, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today, together with the Council for Economic Planning and Development, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, invited the chairmen of six major industrial and commercial associations and the Taipei Airlines Association to attend a forum to discuss how to promote negotiations for the implementation of chartered flights for passengers and cargo. The participants in the forum supported the President’s directive to promote the negotiations on the chartered flights by using the Taiwan-Hong Kong commercial air route negotiations as a model. At the same time, the private sector’s strong desire for the chartered flights to be implemented as soon as possible was also voiced in the forum.
We believe that China also has the intention to help materialize the cross-Strait chartered flights to extend necessary assistance to Taiwanese businessmen. The statement of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson at a press briefing on October 27 this year mentioned that both sides can negotiate on the lunar new year chartered flights by following the procedures carried out during the Taiwan-Hong Kong commercial air route negotiations. This shows chances exist for both sides of the Strait to reach a consensus on the chartered flights negotiations.
To realize the instructions of the President, the MAC shall refer to the model and experience gained from the Taipei-Hong Kong commercial air route negotiations held in 2002 to study and formulate as soon as possible the specific details to be discussed in the negotiations on cargo chartered flights and lunar new year passenger chartered flights that are two-way, reciprocal and do not have to stop in a third location. Once China’s position clears up, we will immediately entrust the related matters of cross-Strait negotiations to the Taipei Airlines Association and seek their assistance, to facilitate the smooth implementation of the passenger and cargo chartered flights as soon as possible, so as to open an opportunity for cross-Strait “direct transportation links” and mutually beneficial and reciprocal exchanges.