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Schearf report - Download (MP3) Schearf report - Listen (MP3) The first non-stop flights from mainland China to Taiwan, since the two sides split in civil war, left for the island Friday. The regular weekend flights could bring as many as 3,000 mainland tourists per day to Taiwan. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing. The morning flights took off from several major Chinese cities for Taiwan. China's official Xinhua news agency said 760 mainland tourists were on board and would stay in Taiwan for ten days of sight-seeing. China's state television offered live coverage of some of the departures. In Beijing, a ceremony was held at the airport marking the launch of the non-stop cross-Strait flights. Several Chinese officials spoke at the ceremony and welcomed the improved transportation links. Wang Yi is the director of China's... [read full story]
