Flights Start from Taiwan to China

CHEN: It seems relations between China and Taiwan might be a getting a little better. Today saw the first weekend flights begin between the political rivals in over six decades. Let's take a look. STORY: Top negotiators from China and Taiwan agreed last month to the weekend charter flights. The historic flights are ushering in the first wave of what could become millions of Chinese visitors to the island. An Air China flight took off from the Beijing airport at 8:30 a.m. local time and is scheduled to land at the Taoyuan International Airport at around 1:00 p.m. No regular direct flights, aside from a few special charters on selected holidays, have flown since 1949. Travelers say it has greatly reduced the amount of traveling time. [Fu Yi-jung, Traveler]: "Before, I had to ride two hours from Foshan to the port, two hours boat ride to Hong Kong, then wait another two hours to get on a flight, it is very troublesome." Others have put hope into the promising economic benefits the flights will bring. "This is extremely helpful, to the economy, to culture... very helpful." The first departure from Taiwan was a sold-out China Airlines flight to Shanghai. Twelve airlines, eight Taiwan airports and numerous travel agents have been flat out in the last month with bookings to Chinese cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai and Xiamen. Opening Taiwan to mainland Chinese tourists is an important policy of the current government. Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou has pledged to revitalize the island's economy with closer trade and transit ties to China.

YouTube | July 5, 2008