Taiwan sends its first-ever direct humanitarian aid flight to China

0 Comments | Asian Political News, May 19, 2008

TAIPEI, May 15 Kyodo

Taiwan on Thursday dispatched its first-ever direct humanitarian aid flight to China as it struggles to cope with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake.

Taiwan's flagship carrier China Airlines sent a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane packed with 110 tons of relief supplies directly to the quake-hit Chinese city of Chengdu from Taipei, bypassing a general ban on direct, scheduled flights across the Taiwan Strait.

China Airlines, in a statement, said the historic flight left Taipei at 5:10 p.m. and was due to arrive in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, at 8:30 p.m.

It said the charity charter ''will be a milestone in cross-strait ties as the first-ever cross-strait humanitarian charter flight...and will display the Taiwanese people's love and care to China.''

Included in the supplies are blankets, water bottles, body bags, food and tents, said Taiwan-based Buddhist charity Tsu-chi Foundation, which contributed the supplies together with Taiwan's Red Cross and other local charities.

The foundation has also dispatched at least 30 private aid workers to China's Sichuan Province, where last Monday's quake has so far exacted a death toll of some 20,000, with tens of thousands more deaths expected as rescuers sift through rubble, foundation spokesman Her Rey-sheng said.

An Air Macau flight, packed with 45 tons of supplies, also departed from Taipei for Chengdu via Macao earlier Thursday.

Taiwan's President-elect Ma Ying-jeou told the Associated Press that the quake presents ''a good opportunity'' for traditional rivals Taipei and Beijing ''to work together.''

Taiwan and China lack direct air and shipping links as a result of their decades-long enmity, but Ma won the island's March 22 presidential election on vows to improve cross-strait ties and establish direct links.

He will take office Tuesday.

Thursday's unprecedented flight seemed an appropriate prelude to direct links and further goodwill as an outpouring of support in Taiwan grew Thursday, with generous public and private donations and other vows of support emerging.

In terms of government assistance, Taiwanese authorities Wednesday vowed to collect at least NT$2 billion (US$60.8 million) in relief donations and send 2,000 tons of rice and 58 rescue workers to quake-affected areas in China.

Private citizens here have already pledged the equivalent of US$30 million, with that figure growing, while the island's Red Cross said it plans to send 20 rescue workers to China on Friday on another direct flight operated by Mandarin Airlines, a China Airlines subsidiary.

Taiwan's response, some media pointed out Thursday, stands in stark contrast to China's reaction to Taiwan's devastating 1999 quake, which killed 2,400 people and left tens of thousands more homeless.

At the time, Beijing reportedly insisted on funneling international aid to the island through China to assert its claims over the island. The political move was widely criticized as slowing relief efforts and shipments.

China regards Taiwan as its own and has vowed to unify the self-ruled island with the mainland, by force if necessary.