At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Chen Chien-jen addressed the topic of when the government would reinstate operation of more cross-strait terminals for air passenger transport between Taiwan and China. The premier said that while the resumption of such travel involves various considerations, the most important considerations are still to meet the needs of the people and of social exchange. In recent months, the government has been continuing to ease entry restrictions on visitors from China and gradually restoring the normal operation of passenger travel via the "mini three links" (direct trade, postal and transport links with China). The premier said the government will also, as an open gesture of goodwill, incorporate to the extent possible the proposals raised by China in recent days regarding the resumption of cross-strait travel routes. He directed relevant agencies to properly implement the various necessary arrangements so that the government's plans can be carried out swiftly and smoothly. The final content of the plans will be announced to the public as soon as possible.
Premier Chen emphasized that the post-pandemic reinstatement and orderly maintenance of cross-strait exchanges will require a truly joint effort and expressions of goodwill from either side, and said he hoped that the restoration of cross-strait civil aviation routes would serve as a foundation upon which to gradually increase mutual expressions of goodwill and positive interactions. As the government seeks to restore cross-strait passenger aviation, its primary consideration will be to meet the needs of the public by providing increased travel convenience for Taiwanese businesspeople, students and other groups, alleviating the stress of travel, reducing travel and business costs, and fulfilling the need for social exchanges.