Mainland China and Taiwan will add 100 direct passenger flights and 20 cargo flights a week to keep up with two-way trade worth an annual US$109bn, according to Taiwanese civil aviation officials quoted by Reuters. The agreement will increase direct flights to a total 370 and cargo flights to 48 from mid-June.

The increase reflects a growing number of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan and burgeoning trade and investment ties. A long-standing ban on direct transport links between the two sides began to ease in 2005 as a result of an increasing trend by Taiwan companies to shift their manufacturers focus to the PRC.