A government spokesperson said yesterday that the mainland
welcomed the Taiwan authorities' approval of talks on direct
passenger and cargo charter flights across the Taiwan Straits.
"We'll do whatever we can to benefit our Taiwan compatriots and
to promote cross-Straits exchange and the development of
cross-Straits trade and economic ties," said the unnamed
spokesperson from the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, "And
we will try our utmost to do it well."
He said it has been the consistent policy of the Chinese
mainland that direct air, shipping, postal and commercial links
across the Taiwan Straits should be realized.
(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2005)