Charters benefit HK in the long run

Community and academic leaders in Hong Kong yesterday hailed the non-stop charter flights across the Taiwan Straits during Spring Festival as a step forward in cross-Straits relations, and brushed aside any negative impact on Hong Kong.

Although Hong Kong International Airport's and local-based airlines' revenues might be affected negatively in the short-term, the positive side will dominate over the long run, said James Sung, a principal lecturer and political analyst at Hong Kong City University.

"The deal can help improve the relationships between the mainland and Taiwan, and promote peaceful reunification," he said.

"It will be conducive for Hong Kong and Taiwan to pursue closer trade relations and tighten cultural and academic exchanges at community level."

The flights may also pave the way for realizing direct air links across the Straits in future.

"The deal has sent a positive message that both sides of the Straits are willing to adopt pragmatic measures to make it more convenient for Taiwan businessmen to travel between the two places," Sung told China Daily.

It is estimated that there are more than 1 million Taiwanese people working and living on the mainland.

Sung dubbed the agreement as a "win-win-win deal" for the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Tung Yiu-chung, executive director of the Hong Kong Travel Industry Council, said the flights will not undermine Hong Kong's status as a regional tourism hub.

"During the previous Spring Festivals, the Taiwanese people who flew home from the mainland via Hong Kong seldom visited Hong Kong when the flights stopped here. I believe that the number of arrivals of Taiwanese to Hong Kong will remain stable in the coming Lunar New Year," he said.

"In the long-term, we should build more attractive sightseeing destinations to attract more Taiwanese visitors to our city."

Both mainland and Taiwanese tourists have made strong contribution to Hong Kong's tourism industry, and Tung believes the opening of Disneyland in Hong Kong this September will lead to a huge surge in the number of tourists from the two places.

Meanwhile, Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a representative of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, said he hopes that direct air links will be achieved soon. "People across the Straits are linked by the same blood ties and cultural roots. I hope the three links in trade, transport and postal services should be realized as early as possible," Tam said.

Source: China Daily