China-Taiwan direct flight from Sat

Chinese airliners are all set to make historic landings in airports on the Taiwan island on Saturday for the first time since 1949, somewhat easing the tense relationship between the two arch-rivals.

However, the flights are only a temporary arrangement, operating only for the Spring Festival -- also called the Chinese New Year, which falls on February 9, Li Weiyi, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State Council, told reporters.

China's Southern Airlines will be the first-ever direct flight from the Chinese Mainland to Taiwan when it will leave Guangzhou at 0530 hours IST and arrive in Taipei at 0700 hours IST on Saturday.

During the Chinese New Year holidays, six mainland airlines will operate a total of 48 flights, including 24 two-way passenger flights, across the Taiwan Straits. The flights will have to pass through Hong Kong's airspace, but need not land before proceeding to Taiwan.

Six airlines from Taiwan will also make the flights between the mainland cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Taiwan's two biggest cities, Taipei and Kaohsiung, according to a historic agreement reached between the two sides early this month.

The flights will enable tens of thousands of Taiwanese businessmen on the Chinese mainland to return to their homes for the family reunion.