The goodwill gesture, aimed at de-politicizing the definition of direct transport links between Taiwan and the mainland, is seen as a major effort by Beijing to push ahead with the establishment of cross-Straits trade, communications and postal services.

Vice-Premier Qian Qichen told Taipei-based United Daily News in an interview published Thursday that direct air and shipping links between the two sides could be called "cross-Straits" instead of "domestic" as previously proposed.

The move signals Beijing's strategic change in position on defining the links, which has been a bone of contention between Taipei and Beijing and also a stumbling block to talks on the three direct links.

Li Jiaquan, a senior researcher with the Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Beijing's new wording seems to be a more neutral statement and may help ease the politically sensitive stumbling point.

"It is undoubtedly a more pragmatic and flexible move on the part of the mainland and more likely to be accepted by both sides,'' Li said.

In Taiwan, meanwhile, local officials gave a cautious welcome Thursday to the reported move, hailing it as a goodwill gesture.

"The change is encouraging,'' Chiou I-jen, secretary-general of the "national security council,'' was quoted as saying. "But details need to be discussed by both sides."

Representatives of three major parties and communications officials on the island have reportedly expressed their delight.

Airlines stocks in Taiwan and Hong Kong rose on the back of the news.

Another government source in Beijing, however, told China Daily that the change in wording does not necessarily mean Beijing has backed away from its long-held and cherished one-China principle.

(China Daily October 18, 2002)