A central government spokesman on Thursday urged Taiwan authorities to remove unreasonable restrictions on the air transport across the Taiwan Strait.
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, noted that there is a strong demand among compatriots on both sides of the Strait for the full restoration of direct flight routes.
"Currently, cross-Strait air routes are still obstructed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, and the normal operations have not yet fully resumed in these destinations.The mainland operates over 300 passenger flights per week across the Taiwan Strait, connecting 14 mainland cities. It is still a significant gap compared to the 890 flights per week to 61 destinations before 2020. This has greatly affected cross-Strait exchanges, and there is strong demand among compatriots for the full restoration of direct flights routes," said Chen.
As the Spring Festival is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese nation, Taiwan compatriots, businesspeople, and students eagerly hope for a smooth journey home to celebrate the New Year, Chen said.
"The relevant mainland authorities will prioritize the needs and concerns of Taiwan compatriots and actively prepare for the additional cross-Strait charter flights during the Spring Festival period. We hope the Taiwan side will heed public sentiment, promptly remove unreasonable restrictions on cross-Strait air transport, and meet the travel demands of compatriots on both sides, especially those from Taiwan," Chen said.
Central government urges Taiwan to remove cross-Strait air transport restrictions
