TAIPEI, Jun 2 (AP) -- Taiwan said Friday it hopes to conclude talks on allowing tourists from rival China to visit the island directly within four to five months.

At present Taiwan only allows Chinese tourists to enter its territory through a third point, usually Hong Kong.

"There seems to be progress in the talks with the Chinese side," said Joseph Wu, the Cabinet member in charge of relations with China. He did not elaborate.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, and Taiwan has since banned direct transportation links between the two sides.

Wu said the talks with China have focused on practical details including minimum income levels for would-be Chinese tourists and procedures for providing emergency care.

On a related issue, Wu said Taiwan may raise the daily quota of Chinese visitors to the island to 1,500 from the current threshold of 1,000.

Any decision to raise the quota will take into account the capacity of the island's hotels and infrastructure, he said.

Taiwan is also talking to China on regular passenger and cargo charter flights, Wu said, raising the prospect that the current regime of holiday flights could be expanded.

Taiwan and China offered charter flights for Taiwanese citizens in China during the Lunar Chinese New Year holidays in 2003, 2005, and 2006.