The nation’s two largest airlines reiterated at a forum yesterday the importance of allowing Chinese transit tourists in Taiwan, adding that it is the key to the success of the Taoyuan Aerotropolis Project.
The forum, held by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, was designed to facilitate dialogue between students and industry representatives.
EVA Airways chairman Chang Kuo-wei (張國煒) said that it is unfair that Taiwanese tourists can transfer in Shanghai and other Chinese cities, but Chinese tourists cannot transfer in Taiwan.
“I understand that the government has made some concessions in cross-strait flight negotiations. However, as a carrier, we feel that the government should not hold back any more or we will lose competitiveness... If Beijing maintains its ban on Chinese transits in Taiwan, that would show Taipei did not negotiate on equal terms.” Chang said.
Chang added that the nation has already developed the aviation market in Southeast Asia, which contributed to a dramatic increase in passengers from Southeast Asia transferring in Taiwan and the development of the Taoyuan Aerotropolis Project.
However, he said that allowing Chinese tourists to transfer in Taiwan would boost passenger numbers and help sustainable development of the aerotropolis.
“The government is very ambitious in making the project work. My question is: Where do you get your passengers from?” Chang said. “Chinese passengers are now transferring in [South] Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. That is a fact, and we are talking about this from a business perspective.”
“Economically speaking, I don’t think we can completely dissociate ourselves from China,” Chang said. “Our competitors, including airports in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, are trying to boost transit passenger numbers. We are already behind them. How can we compete if others have secured their footholds in the market?”
“The Chinese market is expanding, with the aviation sector showing double-digit growth... We still have an opportunity and should take advantage of it quickly.” Chang said.
China Airlines chairman Sun Hung-hsiang (孫洪祥) said that the nation should have entered the aviation service market two decades ago, but it is never too late.
“We have been expanding flights in Southeast China... A Chinese traveler from Wenzhou in China’s Zhejiang Province could fly to the US via Taipei if Chinese tourists were allowed to transit in Taiwan,” Sun said.
In response, Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) said the Chinese government’s attitude remains an obstacle to the policy.
“To transit in Taipei, Chinese tourists have to secure permits to travel to Taiwan from both of the nation’s governments... We are trying to come up with a new system so that Chinese tourists do not need two permits to transfer in Taiwan,” Yeh said.
Yeh added that the ministry will persevere on this matter and should be able to to resolve it one day.
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