Taiwan not planning to expand maintenance of Chinese aircraft soon - official

Taiwan did allow maintenance on one such aircraft after it made a special application, said the official, who did not want to be named.

"But that does not mean a full opening is at hand," he said.

The official was responding to report in the Economic Daily News report that the MAC recently gave special permission for maintenance to be performed on a Shanghai Airlines Cargo International Co Ltd aircraft by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp.

The report added that the MAC has not ruled out the possibility of allowing further maintenance on mainland aircraft in Taiwan if demand for it grows significantly.

Evergreen Aviation and EVA Airways Corp (2618.TW) are both members of Taiwan's Evergreen group. EVA Air owns a 25 pct stake in Shanghai Airlines Cargo.

The MD-11 freighter in question had been registered as a member of the EVA Air fleet until it was transferred to Shanghai Airlines Cargo in 2005.

Except for special charter flights on major holidays and for humanitarian purposes, Taiwan and China do not have direct air links.

At 11.03 am, EVA Air was up 0.15 twd at 12.90.