TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council said on Thursday it had received a letter from China requesting expanded cross-strait direct flights, but called the move politically motivated and aimed at pressuring Taiwan despite limited market demand.
MAC Vice Chair Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said Taiwan received the letter on April 7, proposing destinations such as Urumqi and Xian, per CNA. He said the timing coincided with KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun's (鄭麗文) visit to China, making it unsurprising that the proposal appeared among the 10 cross-strait measures.
Liang said Taiwan will assess the request, adding that consultation and communication channels between the two countries remain functional. He emphasized that airlines’ main concern is whether there are sufficient return passengers.
He said the routes are largely tourist destinations, and with China not allowing group tours to Taiwan, flights would mostly carry outbound Taiwanese travelers with few return passengers, according to CNA. This imbalance makes the routes unattractive for airlines.
Liang said many destinations can be reached more cheaply via transfers through Shanghai or Beijing, reducing the need for direct routes. A direct Taipei–Xian flight costs about NT$15,000 (US$475) to NT$20,000, compared with NT$8,000 to NT$12,000 for a connecting flight.
He added that while Taiwanese businesspeople value convenience, their numbers are insufficient to sustain routes on their own. Expanding destinations would only be practical after resolving tour group restrictions and ensuring stable return passenger demand and load factors.
In a statement, the MAC said the timing of the request aligned with the KMT–CCP talks and Beijing’s rollout of 10 Taiwan-related measures, aimed at pressuring the government to cooperate in implementing the outcomes of those talks, per CNA. It criticized Beijing for bypassing the government on matters involving public authority, saying this “fully exposes the transactional nature of the KMT–CCP dealings behind these measures.”
The council said China has repeatedly pushed for the full restoration of cross-strait passenger flights for political and united front purposes. Since the pandemic, Taiwan has gradually resumed routes in line with cross-strait conditions and actual demand.
Currently, there are 15 scheduled routes and 13 charter destinations, which the MAC said are sufficient to meet demand. It added that there is no urgent need to expand capacity.
The MAC said it will continue to follow established policy principles and a pragmatic approach. The government will review operations and adjust based on cross-strait conditions and demand, without being influenced by the CCP's united front tactics or political maneuvering.
