The first regular, direct flight from mainland China to Taiwan for nearly 60 years landed on Friday at the capital Taipei's airport. China's top official on Taiwan affairs said the flight was "a new start" in exchanges between Taipei and Beijing. 
 
The two sides have been ruled by separate governments since 1949, forcing travelers to fly via a third destination. But ties have improved significantly since Taiwan's new president, Ma Ying-jeou, took office in May.

Mr Ma advocates stronger economic ties with China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has threatened force if it moves towards formal independence. The agreements on flights signed last month, are seen as a big step towards improved cross-strait relations.

The new flights, which will take place from Friday to Monday only, will connect five major cities in China with hubs in Taiwan. Mainland China cities are Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Xiamen.

The China Southern Airlines flight, from the southern city of Guangzhou, was the first of 36 cross-strait flights to be launched this weekend. It carried about 250 passengers and was met with a water sprinkling ceremony.

Company chairman Liu Shaoyong flew on the inaugural flight. "This is a sacred moment. The two sides of the strait are like members in one family," he told journalists in Taipei. Other arriving passengers, many of whom are tourists, were greeted by lion dancers and aboriginal singers.

At the same time as the China Southern flight was traveling to Taipei, a Taiwan-based China Airlines flight with Taiwanese tourists was making its way to Shanghai.

The new flight agreement is being seen as a high-profile endorsement for new Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, and his Kuomintang (KMT) party, which has just taken power again after more than a decade in opposition.

It strengthens the KMT's election stance that they are the party which can do business with the mainland.

As well as the symbolism, there's a practical hope too that the increase in mainland tourists will boost Taiwan's flagging economy.

Local businesses are predicting the new arrivals will provide a much-needed cash boost.

Tourist numbers from the mainland are expected to rapidly increase because - alongside the deal on flights - the two sides have also agreed that the number of Chinese tourists allowed to visit Taiwan will rise to 3,000 per day from 18 July.

The new charter flights still take a circuitous route, through Hong Kong airspace, so that flying times are longer than need be. This is because Taiwan's military is on constant alert for an air attack from the mainland, and analysts say it cannot afford to let civilian flights clutter cross-straits radars.