MAC Press Release No. 010
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) issued the following press release today (March 9, 2023) in regards to its latest cross-Strait transportation policy. At a joint press conference with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), the MAC announced the plan to reopen flight points for cross-Strait passenger service. The details of the plan are as follows:
1. The plan will reinstate 10 routes for scheduled flights to Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Qingdao, Wuhan, Ningbo, and Zhengzhou. The policy decision was premised on maintaining the 5 currently active flight routes and keeping the COVID-19 pandemic under control. Moreover, assessment for this plan was conducted under the principles of prioritizing cross-Strait business travel, focusing on areas in mainland China with highest concentration of Taiwanese businesspeople, and paving the way for the gradual expansion of flight point coverage. Meanwhile, the decision has also taken into account the passenger-carrying capacity of airlines on both sides and a balanced allocation of flights to each side of the Taiwan Strait.
2. In the assessment, some flight points were deemed in demand but lacking conditions for the resumption of regular flights. Therefore, the temporary arrangement for these locations is to reopen for charter flights. The 13 flight points in this category are Shenyang, Wuxi, Haikou, Changsha, Xi'an, Jinan, Hefei, Nanchang, Tianjin, Wenzhou, Dalian, Guilin, and Xuzhou.
3. The plan to resume regular flights will take effect from March 10. Details regarding charter flights will be announced by the MOTC in the coming days.
The MAC stated that President Tsai Ing-wen had already set the policy direction in her National Day Address last year (2022) to gradually restore healthy and orderly cross-Strait exchanges following the border reopening of both sides of the Taiwan Strait. When Premier Chen Chien-jen took office, he said that all policy-making should aim at building a compassionate and resilient Taiwan, and therefore directed the MAC to conduct rolling reviews of various policies, including the Mini-three-links and flight points. As a result, relevant government agencies have initiated assessment and planning for the resumption of cross-Strait exchanges in all aspects, including reopening flight points for cross-Strait passenger service. On this matter, the present plan was completed after multiple evaluations and deliberation on relevant information by the MAC, MOTC, MOHW, and other agencies in consideration of travel demand, risks of the pandemic, the status of cross-Strait exchanges, airline logistics and ground work, related international practices, etc.
The MAC stated that the current plan has basically taken all aspects into account and incorporated mainland China’s proposals on flight point reopening to the best of our ability, making it a show of Taiwan’s greatest goodwill. Given that it takes efforts from both sides to resume cross-Strait exchanges and ensure orderly interaction in the post-pandemic era, the MAC hopes that the resumption of flight points will serve as a foundation for the gradual deepening of goodwill and positive interaction between the two sides.
The MAC added that, during discussions of the current plan, a policy direction was set to further reopen passenger transfers under the Mini-three-links before the Tomb Sweeping Day. The MAC will announce the implementation details and supporting measures next week.
Appendix
Reference Table on the Plan to reopen flight points for cross-Strait passenger service (flight points in Mainland China)
| |
Regular Flights |
Charter Flights Only |
| Flight Points |
10
Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Qingdao, Wuhan, Ningbo, Zhengzhou |
13
Tianjin, Shenyang, Wuxi, Xi'an, Changsha, Haikou, Wenzhou, Jinan, Guilin, Xuzhou, Dalian, Nanchang, Hefei |
| Allocation of weekly flights |
209
Taiwan: 110
Mainland China: 99 |
- |
| Flight points proposed by mainland China that Taiwan did not select or designate for charter flights |
Not selected: Harbin
Designated for charter flights:
Wuxi, Hefei, Changsha, Haikou, Xi'an, Shenyang |
- |
| Flight points in Taiwan’s proposal but not that of mainland China |
Qingdao |
Tianjin, Wenzhou, Jinan, Guilin, Xuzhou, Dalian, Nanchang |