CENTRAL CROSSING:China has repeatedly requested the establishment of air routes that would pass through the middle of the Taiwan Strait to augment weekly flights

Taipei Times
Date:  Jun 28, 2015
By: Peng Hsien-chun and Lo Tien-ping  /  Staff reporters

The Chinese government linking the establishment of new air routes directly crossing the middle of the Taiwan Strait with the issue of Chinese tourists making transit stops in Taiwan has stalled recent negotiations for the latter.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) agreed to make an effort to allow Chinese tourists to transit through Taiwan on their way to other countries when he first came to Taiwan in June last year, but the office brought up the issue of establishing new flight routes in November last year, saying that existing routes are too busy to allow new flights, citing air safety concerns.

China again broached the topic of “streamlining the flight routes” at recent cross-strait negotiations in Taipei to allow Chinese tourists to make transit stops in Taiwan.     [FULL  STORY]