Hot air balloon to fly over Taiwan Straits

Aeronauts from the mainland and Taiwan will fly a hot air balloon across the Taiwan Straits for the first time next year, a source close to the plan said yesterday.

"The flight is expected to take place in July or August, depending on weather conditions," Du Jin'en, secretary-general of the Aero Sports Federation of Fujian province, told the Xinhua News Agency.

Aeronauts from the mainland and Taiwan have been discussing the flight since 1999, but could not make actual plans until this year, he said.