China, Taiwan reach agreements

BEIJING, June 13 (UPI) -- China and Taiwan, at a historic meeting in Beijing Friday, agreed on flights across the Taiwan Strait and more Chinese tourist visits to the island nation.

The direct flights, to take place on weekends, will expand the current service which permits indirect flights only on major holidays.

The first meeting between the nations since 1999 was being called a victory for the new Kuomintang government in Taipei. President Ma Ying-jeou campaigned on regional stability and improving trade ties with China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.

The meetings were led by China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation, the two non-governmental agencies authorized to deal with cross-Strait issues.

The new air service, which begins July 4, will have 36 return flights every Friday-to-Monday, with more flights to come based on demand, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The number of flights will be split between the airlines of the two countries.

Other agreements reached by the two sides include setting up permanent representative offices to coordinate contacts and resuming the liaison officer system to handle emergency cases related to life and property of people on both sides, China Daily reported.

Taiwan delegation leader Chiang Pin-kun said the talks "mark a new start" and noted they should lay the foundation for "a long-term peaceful relationship."

Taiwan has been ruled by a separate government since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.