Shanghai-Taipei charter flights suggested during Expo

BEIJING -- A mainland spokeswoman Wednesday said the mainland and Taiwan might consider temporary charter flights between Shanghai and Taipei for the convenience of tourists from the island during the six-month 2010 World Expo.

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"The two sides may consider temporary charter flights between Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport and Taipei's Sonshan Airport for the convenience of Taiwan compatriots visiting the mainland during the Expo," said Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, at a regular press conference in Beijing.

Also for the convenience of tourists from the island, the Bank of Communications would soon start two-way currency exchange services for the yuan and the New Taiwan dollar in Shanghai, said Fan.

Fan said representatives of all circles in Taiwan would be invited to attend the opening ceremony of the Expo scheduled for April 30 and that Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin would visit the Taipei pavilion with other municipal officials.

The 1,400-square-meter Taiwan pavilion, completed on March 31, would open on May 1 as scheduled and could attract 800,000 visitors, its organizers have said.

The Shanghai World Expo is expected to attract 70 million visitors from home and abroad.

Fan expressed her hope that the mainland and Taiwan could continue talks on market entry policies for the banking industry across the Strait in future negotiations on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).

"The mutual opening of the banking industry should follow the principle of equality and mutual benefit and fully consider the two sides' differences in economic scale and other factors," Fan said.

The ECFA is intended to normalize cross-Strait economic ties and bring the two economies closer. The second round of expert-level talks on the ECFA was concluded on April 1.

Fan said the two sides had exchanged views on the principal issues concerning the "early harvest program" and were still discussing the list of mainland products and services included in the program.

"The mainland has promised farm products will not be included and that it shall do its best to avoid affecting Taiwan's small and medium-sized companies and vulnerable industries," Fan said.

The two sides had agreed to accelerate the signing of the ECFA and hold the third round of expert-level talks on the mainland as soon as possible, said Fan.

Formal discussions on the ECFA will be a focus of a new round of talks between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), which is scheduled for the first half of 2010.