Taiwan and China launched historic charter flights on Saturday with commercial jets flying non-stop between the foes for the first time in 55 years, raising hopes for permanent air links and better ties.
A China Southern Airlines Boeing jet, the first Chinese plane to land in Taiwan since 1949 - excluding hijacked aircraft - touched down at Taipei's international airport just before 9:30 a.m. (1.30 a.m Irish time), completing a 90-minute journey from Guangzhou in southern China.
Taipei insists the special charters fly through Hong Kong or Macau space for security reasons because China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and threatens to invade if the self-ruled, democratic island declares formal independence.
"Direct flights save us a lot of trouble. I hope these flights won't be one-time, Lunar New Year charters but will be regular direct services," said 70 year-old Hsiao Pao-cheng, who boarded a Taiwan flight to Beijing to visit his son.
"Both sides should seek peace and reconciliation. After all, we have the same blood running through our veins."
Taiwan has banned direct transport links with China since the Nationalists fled to the island in 1949 after losing the mainland to the communists in a civil war.
The temporary charter services operated by 12 Taiwan and Chinese airlines will ferry Taiwan business people and their families home for the Lunar New Year on February 9th, the biggest holiday in the Chinese-speaking world.
An estimated 1 million of Taiwan's people, or 5 per cent of its population, work or live in China and must normally transit through places such as Hong Kong when travelling between the two sides, adding at least four hours to their journeys.
Officials from Taipei and Beijing held out hope the temporary charters could lead to a resumption of talks and reduce political tension in the Taiwan Strait, which many security analysts see as one of Asia's most dangerous flashpoints.