Taiwan athletes welcome to come to Olympics by charter flights

BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Li Weiyi, spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Wednesday that "we will be happy to see the Taiwan athletes and audience come to join the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by charter flights."

"We are willing to provide any possible help," he added at a regular press conference here.

When mentioning the issues of the weekend cross-Straits charter flight and the travel of mainlanders to Taiwan, Li said "we believe that under the new circumstances and through consultation, the weekend cross-Straits charter flight and mainland tourist's travel to Taiwan could be realized at an early date, as long as the two sides make mutual endeavors."

When Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, met with Vincent C. Siew, chairman of the Taiwan-based Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation, at the Boao Forum for Asia on Saturday, he said the economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan were facing a historical opportunity and needed joint efforts from both sides for further progress.

The mainland would also make efforts to push forward negotiations on weekend charter flights and mainland tourists' travels to Taiwan.

Hu said the mainland would continue being concerned about Taiwan compatriots' welfare and protecting their legal rights and interests, and would step up efforts to restore cross-Straits negotiations and talks.