The move would be regarded as an interim measure while Beijing pushes for the establishment of the so-called "three direct links'' -- on transport, trade and postal services.

Li Weiyi, spokesman with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that the mainland is willing to take active measures to facilitate such a flight arrangement.

The move came as business circles and opposition parties on the island step up their efforts to have the three links established.

Li's comments were in response to a proposal by Taiwanese "legislator'' John Chang, which calls for direct charter flights between Shanghai and Taipei during the Spring Festival, the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese people living on the mainland -- most of them investors and their families -- return for the traditional family reunion during the holiday, which falls on February 1 next year.

Due to Taipei's decades-old ban on direct transport links between Taiwan and the mainland, both cargo and passenger transport have to travel via a third place, usually Hong Kong or Macao, causing great inconvenience.

"For the benefit of these Taiwan compatriots' convenient travel, we are willing to take positive steps to adopt a transport mode suitable for them so that they can return to Taiwan rapidly,'' Li told a regular press conference.

"And that includes the introduction of direct charter flights across the Taiwan Straits as proposed by the Taiwanese gentleman (Chang).''

But the official demanded that mainland airlines also participate in the charter-flight business in line with the principle of equity and mutual benefit.

Pu Zhaozhou, director of the Office of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs under the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, said his administration will seriously consider possible applications from Taiwanese airlines to run the proposed chartered flights between Taipei and Shanghai.

Technical problems and detailed arrangements that may arise during the process can be solved through consultations between airline companies across the Straits, according to Pu.

Chang, from the opposition Kuomintang, will present his proposal to the "Legislative Yuan,'' Taiwan's "parliament,'' for discussion next week, according to Taiwanese media reports.

(China Daily October 31, 2002)