The aviation organizations on Chinese mainland and Taiwan are negotiating the arrangement of weekend charter flights and giving more convenience to charter freight flights, said an official in Beijing on Wednesday.

 

Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference that this year's Spring Festival charter flights have been launched.

 

The airline companies and civil aviation organizations on both sides are making efforts to ensure a safe operation and excellent services of the Spring Festival charter flights, mainly in the periods from Feb. 13 to 16 and from Feb. 23 to 26, Li said.

 

The civil aviation organizations from both sides of the Strait have held talks on the arrangement of weekend charter flights, and reached a framework agreement in 2006, Li said.

 

He mentioned that tourism organizations of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan continued their talks recently on the technical issues of opening Taiwan-bound routes for mainland residents. The two sides have reached common understanding on many issues.

 

"It's our common wish that Taiwan-bound routes for mainland residents can be opened as soon as possible," Li added.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2007)