Taiwan and the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Macau on Monday signed their first official aviation agreement in another sign of warming ties between Taipei and Beijing, officials said.
The agreement came after Taiwan and China last week held the first government-to-government talks since their split 65 years ago.
"The signing of the new aviation agreement is conducive to the further improvement of substantial ties between Taiwan and Macau," Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which handles China policy, said in a statement.
The agreement will allow more airlines from both sides to fly the route to and from Macau, a major gambling resort.
Currently, Air Macau operates 35 flights weekly while Taiwan's EVA Airways provides 40 flights and TransAsia Airways 35 flights per week under an agreement signed in 2001 between Air Macau and the aviation transportation association in Taipei.
The average occupancy of the three airlines on the route was around 71 percent in the past three years, according to Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration.
Taiwan upgraded its representative offices in Macau and Hong Kong in 2011, and both Macau and Hong Kong separately opened a liaison office in Taipei in 2012.
Tensions with the mainland have eased markedly since the China-friendly Kuomintang government of Ma Ying-jeou came to power in 2008 on promises of strengthening trade links and allowing in more Chinese tourists. He was re-elected in January 2012.
But China still considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification — by force if necessary.
