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Shanghai-Taipei direct flight proposed
There are so far no direct shipping and air links between the mainland and Taiwan because of political stalemate. But a historic non-stop cross-Straits charter flight programme was successfully operated for this year's Spring Festival holidays between January 29 and February 20. In Soong's talks with Communist Party of China leader Hu Jintao in Beijing in May, both sides agreed to promote the direct charter flight to be a regular practice during public holidays, and work towards the realization of all-round direct flights in 2006. "The realization of direct trade, postal and shipping links will bring tremendous economic benefits for the 1.3 billion people on the mainland and the 230 million people in Taiwan," said Casper Shih, chairman of the Taiwan-based Global Chinese Competitive Foundation. "It will give Taiwan's economy an unimaginable chance of rejuvenation," he added. The mainland has been working step by step to facilitate cross-Straits business and exchanges of personnel since Soong's visit in May and an earlier visit by the then Kuomintang Chairman Lien Chan. The mainland recently approved four Taiwanese airlines to use mainland territory for their flights to Europe and Southeast Asia, a move that will reduce their flight time and fuel cost. Last week, the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office signed an agreement with the China Development Bank on providing Taiwanese businesses on the mainland with 30 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion) in development loans in the next five years.
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