A Chinese mainland official has called for weekend charter flights between the mainland and Taiwan, following the realization of charter flights on major festivals.

 

A mainland spokesman on Wednesday also called for normalizing charter flights on major festivals, including the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, instead of negotiations on each occasion.

 

Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the expansion of charter flights was necessary to facilitate the cross-Straits traffic of people in Taiwan and the mainland.

 

He said the mainland hoped to realize comprehensive and direct cross-Straits air traffic as soon as possible.

 

He said on the basis of three Spring Festival charter flights, airliners would provide better services to Taiwan businessmen on the mainland.

 

As of the end of October, a total of 71,027 Taiwan-funded projects were approved by the mainland, while the total actual use of Taiwan capital reached US$43.46 billion.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006)