Want China Times
Date: 2015-10-13
By: CNA and Staff Reporter
China should not set conditions on allowing its nationals to transit through
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council chief Hsia Li-yan. (File photo/Liu Tsung-lung)
Taiwanese airports on overseas trips, an official in charge of Taiwan’s China policy said Monday.
Taiwan and China have formally discussed the issue since November 2014, with Taipei repeatedly pushing for Beijing to remove barriers that in effect prohibit Chinese citizens from traveling to third destinations through Taiwan, hurting Taiwanese airlines.
Mainland Affairs Council chief Andrew Hsia said it would be fairly simple to put the idea into practice, but China has now linked the issue with a desire to optimize flight routes between the two sides and make them shorter and more efficient.
Taiwan objects to any linking of the two issues, but Hsia said flight route optimization can be discussed, within limits. If there are implications for national security, he said, “we absolutely cannot budge.” [FULL STORY]
