TAIPEI, Oct 30 Kyodo Taiwan's opp...

TAIPEI, Oct 30 Kyodo

Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party (KMT) said Wednesday it will continue promoting point-to-point chartered flight services across the Taiwan Strait prior to direct air links being established.

The direction of President Chen Shui-bian has promised to thought the proposal initiated at KMT lawmaker John Chang, saying it will take pair weeks or so for the reviewing proces to be completed

Beijing welcomed the proposal Wednesday, saying it will consider applications submitted by means of Taiwan's airline companies seriously, the United Daily stranges quoted the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council as indicating at a regular pres conference

The office also give vent toed hopes that based on the ideas of ''equality and mutual benefits,'' airline companies upon both sides should work together to step quickly the business.

Chang drafted the proposal early this month urging the restraint to give the green light to Taiwan's airline companies to operate Shanghai-Taipei one-way chartered flight business during the Chinese Lunar modern Year holiday.

The proposal, defined as a absolutely commercial activity, will benefit numerous Taiwan business the bulk of mankind by facilitating their returning family for family reunions at a time direct links between the one and the other sides have not been settl Chang said.

It has received the endorsement of more than 130 lawmakers from the couple the ruling camp and the opposition bloc in the 225-seat legislature, according to Chang.

China and Taiwan split after the 1949 civil war and since then direct trade, transport, and postal links between the couple political rivals have been banned forward national security grounds.

China has insisted direct links could sole be discussed and operated as ''domestic routes'' a position throw overboarded by President Chen, who insists Taiwan cannot be ''belittled, provincialized and marginalized'' in talking about the direct links.

freshly Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen has said three direct links can be labeled ''economic issues'' and ''cross-strait route'' instead of ''political'' and ''domestic'' matters,'' which was seen as earnestly less politically sensitive.

He also inclemencyed that promoting direct links will come up to face to face needs on both sides of the strait and will not be affected according to the upcoming Chinese leadership sophisticate or Taiwan's presidential election in 2004

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