New direct cross-strait flights? SEF: No applications for 13 charter flights during Lunar New Year
SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-chia stated that while China is pushing for the full resumption of cross-strait direct flights, there were no applications for the 13 available charter flight destinations during the Lunar New Year, indicating a lack of market demand. He also emphasized the need for negotiations for the resumption of individual tourism and questioned China's political motives.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 19:46
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 20:01 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 21:08 (1h 6m after Collected)
Central News Agency (CNA) Correspondent Liao Wen-chi, Taipei, April 24 — The Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China recently issued 10 measures concerning Taiwan, including "promoting the comprehensive restoration of normal cross-strait air passenger direct flights." Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Secretary-General Luo Wen-chia stated today that currently 13 destinations are open for charter flights, but no one applied for them during the Lunar New Year, indicating that there is not such a large market demand.
The SEF held a background briefing today, chaired by Luo Wen-chia.
Recently, mainland China initiated communication through the "Mini-Cross-Strait Aviation Associations" and sent a letter requesting the opening of several flight destinations, urging the comprehensive restoration of cross-strait passenger direct flights as soon as possible.
Regarding the necessity of adding new flight destinations, Luo Wen-chia stated that there are currently 15 direct flight destinations, and an additional 13 destinations can be opened for charter flights. He also mentioned hearing from Taiwanese businesspeople on many occasions that they hope to increase direct flight destinations. "If we combine everyone's opinions, it wouldn't be 15, it might be 55."
Luo Wen-chia said that everyone hopes that railways will go directly to their homes and that airports will be near them. "But in reality, this matter ultimately has to return to market mechanisms." And the market mechanism is how many basic passengers an airline needs for a round-trip flight to meet basic commercial demands.
Luo Wen-chia stated that from the past to the present, the government's attitude has always been clear: let the market decide. If the market has sufficient support and passenger volume, then open it up. If not, and it is opened, "who will do the operating? Who will bear the losses, the deficits?"
Luo Wen-chia pointed out that according to data from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the current 15 direct flight destinations only have about 70% passenger capacity, not yet full. As for the other 13 non-direct flight destinations, "no one applied for charter flights." In other words, if there truly was a market, people would apply for charter flights. For example, this year's Lunar New Year should be a peak period. If the market were sufficient, people would apply for charter flights, but this year there were none. "These empirical figures show that the market is actually not that large," which is not a government problem, but rather that if the market is sufficient, it can be opened.
The 10 measures concerning Taiwan by the Communist Party of China also mentioned "promoting the resumption of individual travel trials to Taiwan for residents of Shanghai City and Fujian Province." The Mainland Affairs Council previously stated that negotiations between the "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations" (Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and Cross-Strait Tourism Association) are unavoidable.
Luo Wen-chia stated that the resumption of individual travel to Taiwan by mainland tourists involves numerous details such as the number of visitors, their origins, travel quality, and safety. These must all be negotiated to protect the interests of both sides. The mainland side should respect Taiwan's democratic system and existing agreements, and there is no reason to avoid this.
He mentioned that mainland tourists coming to Taiwan are based on agreements signed by the SEF and ARATS in 2008, with related operations executed by the "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations." In 2019, the mainland unilaterally terminated the agreement. If it is to be resumed now, it should revert to the existing negotiation mechanisms of the "Big Cross-Strait Associations" or "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations."
Luo Wen-chia said that in February last year, Taiwan's Tourism Association officially sent a letter to mainland China's Cross-Strait Tourism Association, hoping to negotiate details. More than a year and two months have passed, and the other side has never responded, yet they brought it up again at the Zheng-Xi meeting, indicating that these issues are merely political bargaining chips for the other side.
Luo Wen-chia emphasized that in the past, with the "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations," these issues could be resolved. It was the other side that abandoned this channel and was unwilling to use normal channels, "but wanted to use some very strange channels." If the agreements signed by the cross-strait associations in the past are implemented, there are channels to resolve these problems. (Editor: Yang Sheng-ju) 1150424
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The SEF held a background briefing today, chaired by Luo Wen-chia.
Recently, mainland China initiated communication through the "Mini-Cross-Strait Aviation Associations" and sent a letter requesting the opening of several flight destinations, urging the comprehensive restoration of cross-strait passenger direct flights as soon as possible.
Regarding the necessity of adding new flight destinations, Luo Wen-chia stated that there are currently 15 direct flight destinations, and an additional 13 destinations can be opened for charter flights. He also mentioned hearing from Taiwanese businesspeople on many occasions that they hope to increase direct flight destinations. "If we combine everyone's opinions, it wouldn't be 15, it might be 55."
Luo Wen-chia said that everyone hopes that railways will go directly to their homes and that airports will be near them. "But in reality, this matter ultimately has to return to market mechanisms." And the market mechanism is how many basic passengers an airline needs for a round-trip flight to meet basic commercial demands.
Luo Wen-chia stated that from the past to the present, the government's attitude has always been clear: let the market decide. If the market has sufficient support and passenger volume, then open it up. If not, and it is opened, "who will do the operating? Who will bear the losses, the deficits?"
Luo Wen-chia pointed out that according to data from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the current 15 direct flight destinations only have about 70% passenger capacity, not yet full. As for the other 13 non-direct flight destinations, "no one applied for charter flights." In other words, if there truly was a market, people would apply for charter flights. For example, this year's Lunar New Year should be a peak period. If the market were sufficient, people would apply for charter flights, but this year there were none. "These empirical figures show that the market is actually not that large," which is not a government problem, but rather that if the market is sufficient, it can be opened.
The 10 measures concerning Taiwan by the Communist Party of China also mentioned "promoting the resumption of individual travel trials to Taiwan for residents of Shanghai City and Fujian Province." The Mainland Affairs Council previously stated that negotiations between the "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations" (Taiwan Strait Tourism Association and Cross-Strait Tourism Association) are unavoidable.
Luo Wen-chia stated that the resumption of individual travel to Taiwan by mainland tourists involves numerous details such as the number of visitors, their origins, travel quality, and safety. These must all be negotiated to protect the interests of both sides. The mainland side should respect Taiwan's democratic system and existing agreements, and there is no reason to avoid this.
He mentioned that mainland tourists coming to Taiwan are based on agreements signed by the SEF and ARATS in 2008, with related operations executed by the "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations." In 2019, the mainland unilaterally terminated the agreement. If it is to be resumed now, it should revert to the existing negotiation mechanisms of the "Big Cross-Strait Associations" or "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations."
Luo Wen-chia said that in February last year, Taiwan's Tourism Association officially sent a letter to mainland China's Cross-Strait Tourism Association, hoping to negotiate details. More than a year and two months have passed, and the other side has never responded, yet they brought it up again at the Zheng-Xi meeting, indicating that these issues are merely political bargaining chips for the other side.
Luo Wen-chia emphasized that in the past, with the "Mini-Cross-Strait Associations," these issues could be resolved. It was the other side that abandoned this channel and was unwilling to use normal channels, "but wanted to use some very strange channels." If the agreements signed by the cross-strait associations in the past are implemented, there are channels to resolve these problems. (Editor: Yang Sheng-ju) 1150424
Choose to stand with facts; your every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.