China further eases travel to Taiwan

BEIJING, Sept 8 (Reuters) - China on Sunday further eased travel to self-ruled Taiwan, an island it considers sovereign territory, in a further sign of revitalised trade and transit links between the two sides.

Historic regular flights between Taiwan and China began in July in a show of conciliation between the long-time rivals that could bring large numbers of mainland Chinese visitors to the island.

No such regular flights, aside from a few charters on select holidays, had flown since 1949, when defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan after the Chinese civil war.

China has claimed sovereignty over the island since then and has vowed to bring it back under mainland rule, by force if necessary.

Now Chinese mainland residents with permits to travel to Taiwan will be able to travel to and from the Chinese islands of Kinmen and Matsu and the Taiwan-administered island of Penghu, Wang Yi, director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said.

Until July, mainland travellers had two ways to reach Taiwan -- indirect flights via Hong Kong or Macao or non-stop charter flights on weekends and some holidays.

Since July 20, residents of selected cities and provinces have been allowed to visit Taiwan in groups. Wang said the mainland was considering expanding the list further.

The July flights were largely the work of new Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, who took office in May on pledges to revitalise the island's economy with closer trade and transit ties to China. He has estimated that 50 million Chinese want to visit Taiwan.

But trickier issues remain, such as the signing of a formal peace treaty and the hundreds of missiles Taiwan says China has aimed at the island.