On Wednesday Beijing blamed Taiwan authorities for showing no sincerity in working on realizing direct cross-Straits flights.

Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, speaks at a press conference in Beijing in this photo taken on February 28, 2007. [Chinadaily.com.cn]

Li Weiyi, Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council spokesman said, "For 20 years the mainland has spared no effort in pushing for direct flights for the interests of both the mainland and Taiwan people." He went on to say that Taiwan officials, in contrast, went against Taiwanese people's wishes and were uncooperative in talks with Beijing.

During the press conference, Li responded to Taiwan's leader Chen Shui-bian's previous accusation that Beijing was reluctant to approve direct flights, saying it was Chen himself who was uncooperative.

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Li said the two sides have cleared technical barriers regarding aerospace, and he hoped Taiwan authorities will lift the ban on cross-Straits flights.

In answering a question concerning the 2008 Olympics torch relay, Li replied Taiwan officials broke the four consensus previously reached by the two sides in February. He hopes the torch will land in Taiwan and realize Taiwanese people's Olympic wishes, but said he would respect the government's decision.

KMT candidate welcomes mainland tourist

Taiwan election front-runner Ma Ying-jeou promised to open Taiwan for tourists from the Chinese mainland if he wins the election on the island next year.

Ma, the former Kuo Ming-Tang party leader, made the promise Tuesday as he stopped in Zhanghua Prefecture during his campaign tour, the Central News Agency in Taiwan reported. Ma told farmers there that if he becomes the leader he will "definitely" allow mainland tourists to enter Taiwan.

Ma even specified the scheme: In the beginning, Taiwan would receive 1,000 visitors per day, which would gradually increase to 3,000. He said Taiwan authorities should ease politics from economy so as to make it develop faster.

Many mainlanders have long wished to visit Taiwan island, and Beijing expressed hopes of cross-Straits tourist exchanges. While the mainland is open to Taiwanese businesspeople, tourists and students, Taiwanese politicians keep flights and tourism closed to mainlanders.

Mainland tourists are fast becoming an economic power with high consumption power to boost the tourist dollars in Hong Kong and Macao.

Ma said people in tourism industry told him that by refusing mainland visitors from entering the island lost the potential of earning 1.8 billion New Taiwan Dollars.