‘UNFRIENDLY’: Nearly three-quarters of respondents disagreed with China’s view that it did not need to consult Taiwan about the new routes, amid safety concerns
Taipei Times
Date: Jan 23, 2018
By: Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
Nearly 86 percent of Taiwanese support the government’s call for cross-strait talks over
A pie chart displays the results of an opinion poll on the government’s demand that China immediately begin a dialogue over the disputed M503 flight path during a news conference held yesterday in Taipei by the Cross-Strait Policy Association. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
aviation safety following Beijing’s unilateral opening of four new routes, a survey by the Cross-Strait Policy Association found.
The poll also showed that 63.4 percent of respondents back the government’s decision to reject Chinese airlines’ requests for additional flights during the Lunar New Year holiday due to potential safety risks posed by the launch of these routes.
Beijing on Jan. 4 launched the four routes — the M503, W121, W122 and W123 — without prior negotiations with Taiwan.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration （CAA） last week said that it would not approve requests for additional flights during the Lunar New Year filed by China Eastern Airlines （中國東方航空） and Xiamen Air （廈門航空）, which have continued to use the new routes, despite repeated warnings from Taiwan. [FULL STORY]
