Taiwan and China agree to increase cross-Strait pax services to 670 per week, cargo up to 68

Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation announced (12-Aug-2013) the number of weekly cross-Strait services will increase by 54 to 670 in Aug-2013. The increases include up to 12 weekly return services between Shanghai Pudong and Kaohsiung, effective from this month and up to 28 between Shanghai Pudong and Taipei Taoyuan, scheduled to commence in Dec-2013. Taiwan and mainland China also agreed increase the number of nonstop cargo services from 56 to 68 per week and open three new freight destinations in mainland China including Tianjin, Zhengzhou and Ningbo, with up to two weekly flights per city. Taiwan Civil Aeronautics Administration stated Taiwan and China will each be responsible for half of the new passenger services, including seven from Taipei Songshan. [more - original PR - Chinese]