After launching the sea links in December last year, China and Taiwan are likely to give green signal to regular passenger and cargo flight services between the two countries. Both the countries plan to sign a pact in late May to operate regular flight service. The new flight services slated to be launched in July will end Taipei’s six-decade ban on cross-strait air links with the mainland.

 

According to media reports, the proposed pact will endorse regular flights between Taiwan and China and allow each other’s planes to fly in the countries. The opening of sky will help Chinese aircraft to fly to Taiwan and then on to North America or South America. Meanwhile, the flights from Taiwan will be able to reach Central Asia or Europe via China.

 

Since the Chinese Civil War in 1949, Taiwan has banned air and sea links with China for security concerns. However in 2003, Taiwan and China launched holiday charter flights which turned into daily charter flights on December 15, 2008. The launch of sea and air links has infused a sense of optimism in China that transportation links might pave the way for Taiwan’s unification with the mainland.