Fuzhou and Taiwan resume direct air route

A direct air route between Fuzhou, capital of East China's Fujian province, and Taiwan will resume on Monday after a three-year suspension, the local government announced on Thursday.

Since the direct air route was launched in 2008, Fuzhou Airport has executed 31,000 flights between the city and Taiwan, transporting 3.4 million passengers and 64,000 metric tons of cargo, according to official data. In March 2020, the route was suspended due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The resumption of the air route will be carried out by Xiamen Airlines with six round-trip flights per week.

Chen Yu, director of Fuzhou International Aviation City Management Committee, said, "The resumption is the common aspiration of compatriots on both sides of the Strait."

It will facilitate cross-Strait exchanges, promote cross-Strait economic, trade and cultural exchanges, deepen cooperation in various fields, and accelerate the integration between the two sides, he said.

Li Liangchuan, general manager of Xiamen Airlines's Fuzhou branch, said, "Xiamen Airlines has always been committed to building an air bridge across the Taiwan Strait, and it is our important mission to serve cross-Strait exchanges."

Efforts will be made to open new routes and increase flights between the two sides to meet people's needs, he added.

To promote cross-Strait communication and exchanges, the 6th Fuzhou-Matsu Talks, one of the important events of the 25th Cross-Strait Fair for Investment and Trade, was held on Thursday in Fuzhou. More than 70 representatives from Matsu, an outlying island of Taiwan, attended the event.