Taiwan Council: Low Return Flights Unattractive to Airlines; Councilor Cries 'Bureaucratic Arrogance'

The Liberty Times, a prominent voice in Taiwan, views the Mainland Affairs Council's (MAC) recent statements regarding cross-strait flights with deep concern and criticism. The MAC's assertion that low return passenger rates, stemming from China's continued ban on group tours to Taiwan, make direct flights unattractive to airlines, has been met with strong opposition from Taiwanese politicians and business communities.

Taipei City Councilor Hsu Shu-hua of the Kuomintang party has vehemently denounced the MAC's stance, labeling it as "bureaucratic arrogance." She argues that transportation infrastructure should be treated as a public service, akin to public railways or taxis, rather than a purely profit-driven enterprise. The councilor emphasized that direct flights are a vital lifeline for Taiwanese businesses operating in China, and the government's role should be to foster travel and create demand, not to meticulously calculate airline profits.

The MAC's suggestion that Taiwanese travelers could transit through Beijing or Shanghai to reach destinations like Xi'an or Urumqi was dismissed by Hsu as impractical and time-consuming for business travelers. She highlighted that the extra five to six hours spent in transit would be a significant burden, and the government should prioritize saving people time and effort, rather than advising them to seek cheaper, indirect flights. The councilor also drew an analogy, stating that blaming the lack of direct flights on China's failure to guarantee return passengers is like a department store refusing to open until customers pre-commit to spending money.

From Taiwan's perspective, as reflected by the Liberty Times and figures like Hsu Shu-hua, the MAC's position appears to prioritize the financial interests of airlines over the economic needs and convenience of Taiwanese citizens and businesses. The publication frames this as a failure of governance, where the government is seen as making excuses rather than actively seeking solutions to facilitate cross-strait travel. The underlying sentiment is that the ruling party may be hesitant to pursue closer ties with China, even when there are potential economic benefits, leading to a perception of political obstructionism disguised as practical concerns.