President Ma Ying-jeou, together with Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng, Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-tien Yang, and former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, attended a reception at noon on November 1 to mark the opening of direct flights between Taipei's Songshan Airport and Tokyo's Haneda Airport. In remarks to the gathering, President Ma said he welcomes the commencement of flights between the two airports and expressed his continued desire to see the creation of a "golden aviation loop" in Northeast Asia.
The president said that the opening of flights between Songshan and Haneda airports is the culmination of long-running efforts by both sides. President Ma recalled that five years ago, while visiting Mr. Hiroshi Nakada (then Yokohama City mayor), he learned about the mayor's initiative to promote direct flights between Haneda Airport and counterparts in Shanghai (Hongqiao Airport) and Seoul (Gimpo International Airport). At the time, he suggested that Mayor Nakada include Taipei in the plan, and subsequently the two worked to bring it about. President Ma said that former prime minister Abe made direct flights between Songshan and Haneda airports a policy objective, while members of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council and representatives of the aviation industries of the two countries have also played important roles in realizing this goal. President Ma said that direct flights between Songshan Airport and Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport commenced in June this year, and that creating direct flights between the downtown airports in Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei will help to realize the vision of a "golden aviation loop" in Northeast Asia. This highlights the fact that Taiwan plays an important role in aviation in Northeast Asia, and also helps to promote other cities, the president said.
President Ma furthermore stated that there will be a total of 2.4 million tourist trips between Taiwan and Japan this year. With the opening of the Songshan-Haneda route, along with the commencement of flights between Kaohsiung International Airport and Narita Airport, the number of tourist trips between the two nations next year is poised to reach a new high of 3 million, he said. Besides providing added convenience to passengers, he said, the direct flights between Songshan and Haneda prove the value of maintaining and using Songshan Airport. The airport will help to create more contact between Taiwan and overseas, so it need not be relocated or shut down, he added.
The president stressed that his administration has consistently sought balance in its dealings with other nations, and does not focus exclusively on relations with mainland China, pointing out that direct flights between Songshan and Haneda airports, the signing of a working holiday agreement, and the establishment of a representative office in Sapporo all are important symbols of the significance of relations between Taiwan and Japan. Former prime minister Abe, for his part, said that he welcomed the improvement in cross-strait ties, as it creates a virtuous circle, reduces regional tensions, and promotes stability, which is in the interest of all nations.
Lastly, President Ma and the other important figures attending the reception raised their glasses to toast the beginning of flights between the two airports. The president also extended an invitation to the Japanese guests to attend the upcoming opening of the Taipei International Flora Exposition and experience the beauty of Taiwan.