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Flights of affinity

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-07-05 11:43

Friday is a historic day for cross-Straits relations. It saw weekend chartered planes and the first batch of tourist groups from the Chinese mainland to its Taiwan island inaugurate.

It takes about an hour to fly over the Straits, but more than six years for the frequency of the chartered planes to be extended - from those that fly during the traditional Spring Festival, starting from 2003, to as frequently as every weekend, starting from Friday.

The chartered planes fly over not only a strip of water, but also over the twists and turns in the development of relations across the Straits.

When they were first initiated in 2003, pro-independence forces had placed barriers to prevent the move from promoting the relations between the two sides. Only Taiwan planes could fly to the mainland and had to stop over in Hong Kong or Macao. In striking contrast, the Chinese mainland had tried as hard as it could to make it possible for Taiwan business people to enjoy the convenience of flying home for Spring Festival.

Airlines from both sides of the Straits took part in the scheme from 2005. It was the pro-independence forces that had attached conditions to the flights by requiring all planes to make a detour over Hong Kong and allowing only Taiwan business people and their relatives to board the planes.

A year later, all Taiwan compatriots with their passports were allowed to take the planes, and in the middle of that year, the chartered flights had been extended to other traditional festivals.

A clear message from this development is that people on both sides of the Straits are of one family, and they have been looking forward to the opening of skies across the Straits.

Undoubtedly, more regular flights, which are in line with the wishes and aspirations of the people across the Straits, will better facilitate economic and trade relations between both sides.

The more trips that mainland tourists make to the island, the more they will understand their Taiwan compatriots and bring their hearts closer.

The fact that mainland tourists were whole-heartedly welcomed yesterday as they landed in Taiwan is an obvious sign that "blood is thicker than water".

This achievement in the interest of people on both sides will usher in a new era in the development of ties across the Taiwan Straits.