China and Taiwan on Saturday launched the first direct charter flights between them since 1949, an important step towards opening regular flights and normalizing Taipei-Beijing ties. A China Southern Airlines Boeing B777 jet carrying 242 Taiwanese businessmen touched down at the Chiang Kai-shek (CSK) International Airport at 9:28 a.m., becoming the first Chinese plane to land on Taiwan since 1949 when the Chinese civil war split China and Taiwan. Previously, only hijacked Chinese passengers jets and warplanes flown by defecting Chinese pilots have landed on Taiwan. Five more Chinese passenger planes arrived in Taiwan Saturday morning - four to CKS Airport and two to the Kaoshiung International Airport in south Taiwan. Two Taiwanese airlines - China Airlines and EVA Airways - launched charter flights to Beijing, the first time Taiwanese airlines have been allowed to fly to China's capital. Under an agreement reached in Macau, six airlines from each side of the dispute can each operate 24 charter flights to bring mainland- based Taiwanese businessmen home for the Chinese New Year holiday, beginning February 9. In 2003, China allowed Taiwan airlines to operate Chinese New Year charter flights for Taiwanese businessmen, but banned the charter flights last year because Taiwan barred Chinese airlines from flying charter flights to Taiwan. China and Taiwan held grand welcome ceremonies for the inaugural charter flights, with the popping of champaign, beating of drums and the traditional lion dance. --more 1052 Local Time 0752 GMT
