A government spokesperson said yesterday that the mainland welcomed the Taiwan authorities' approval of talks on direct passenger and cargo charter flights across the Taiwan Straits.

"We'll do whatever we can to benefit our Taiwan compatriots and to promote cross-Straits exchange and the development of cross-Straits trade and economic ties," said the unnamed spokesperson from the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, "And we will try our utmost to do it well."

He said it has been the consistent policy of the Chinese mainland that direct air, shipping, postal and commercial links across the Taiwan Straits should be realized.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2005)