Flight diplomacy proves potential

The first regular, direct flight from mainland China to Taiwan for nearly 60 years has landed at Taipei's airport. In itself, no great feat of aviation, the strait that divides China from Taiwan is only 180km wide but politically this was one of the most significant journeys in history. Since 1949, the end of the civil war in China, Beijing and Taipei have been fierce political rivals and on at least two occasions came close to outright hostilities. This is why the new air route is hugely symbolic. Direct links between cities on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will do more than any politician's words to show that the people have much in common despite the political differences of their governments.

But there is also a commercial aspect to this that must not be overlooked. China needs Taiwan's technological expertise to bolster its economy and Taiwan needs access to China's consumers. This may not be the first time in history that commercial interests have led to greater political understanding; the European Union is a classic example of political accommodation stemming from economic interests. After years of deep mistrust it does seem as if airline diplomacy has replaced political turbulence.