Taiwan flight-transfer talks continue

Authorities from the mainland and Taiwan have yet to reach a consensus on an agreement on allowing air passengers from the mainland to transfer in Taiwan, after a fourth meeting between senior leaders from both sides on Wednesday.

"We hope an agreement on allowing mainland people traveling overseas via Taiwan would take effect by the end of this year. But a consensus is yet to be reached because both sides need to optimize details of the agreement," said Andrew Hsia, Taiwan's mainland affairs chief. He did not elaborate on such details.

Hsia made the remarks on Wednesday after a work meeting in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, with his mainland counterpart, Zhang Zhijun, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.