Editing Three Links (section)

===Limited liberalization===
{{main|Cross-strait charter}}
[[Image:Ci581 pek.JPG|right|thumb|On January 29, 2005, [[China Airlines]] flight CAL581 landed in [[Beijing]], [[People's Republic of China]].]]
[[File:Shijing - Quanzhou-Jinmen Ferry Terminal - DSCF8837.JPG|thumb|The mainland China terminal for the Quanzhou-Kinmen ferry, in [[Shijing, Nan'an, Fujian|Shijing]] Town]]

Under the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] (DPP) government, gradual steps were taken to lift restrictions on the three links. The so-called '''Little Three Links''', also referred to as '''Mini Three Links''' or '''Three Small Links''' (小三通; xiǎo sān tōng)<ref name="cga">{{cite map|url=https://www.cga.gov.tw/GipOpen/wSite/public/Attachment/f1518579482629.pdf|script-title=zh:金門地區離島通航航道公告圖|language=zh-tw|access-date=25 August 2019 |date=n.d.<!--Likely from 2007 or after since map includes the words "民國96年各方測量"-->|website=[[Coast Guard Administration (Taiwan)]]|quote={{lang|zh|小三通航道}} Mini-three-links Route<!--north of Quemoy-->}}</ref> allows for limited postal, transportation, and trade links between the People's Republic of China's [[Fujian]] province cities of [[Xiamen]], [[Mawei District|Mawei]] and [[Quanzhou]], and the islands of [[Kinmen]] and [[Matsu islands|Matsu]], which are administered by the Republic of China. When introduced in January 2001, they allowed only those with household registrations in Kinmen and Matsu to use the trade links, as well as China-based Taiwan businessmen. Travels must be done in groups. Restrictions were lifted to allow individual travelers, as well as to open the routes to former residents and relatives of Kinmen and Matsu. Quanzhou was also added to the list in the same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hNOcejbb9CBsqzad2uKTOdFHafdg|title=AFP: Taiwan expands shipping links with China: official}}</ref>

The ferry trip, which takes at least 30 minutes, involved regular routes connecting Kinmen 
to the ports of Xiamen and Quanzhou, and Matsu  to [[Mawei]]. Occasional trips were also made between Kinmen and [[Meizhou]], a popular religious site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/19/content_8401942.htm|title=Taiwan residents allowed to take direct sea service from Kinmen, Matsu to mainland_English_Xinhua|date=April 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422043524/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/19/content_8401942.htm |archive-date=2009-04-22 }}</ref> The routes saw 21,377 entries and exits in 2001. It ballooned to 341,152 in 2006,<ref>[http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national%20news/2008/06/20/161803/Taiwan-residents.htm Taiwan residents can ferry to China - The China Post]</ref> but still represents a small part of overall trade.

In early 2002 a China Airlines flight to Hong Kong [[China Airlines Flight 611|crashed]] into the Taiwan strait killing all 225 people on board. The majority of the passengers were intending to transfer at Hong Kong for flights to mainland China. Relatives of the victims advocated for direct cross-strait flights.<ref name="PRCROCTogether2">{{cite news |last=Lam |first=Willy Wo-Lap |date=27 May 2002 |title=Crash brings Taiwan, China together |work=CNN |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/05/27/taiwan.talks/index.html |access-date=27 May 2009}}</ref>

In early 2003, the Republic of China (ROC) government permitted its air carriers to ferry [[Chinese New Year]] passengers back and forth across the Strait by way of "indirect charter flights" that touched down briefly in Hong Kong or Macau. The ROC and People's Republic of China (PRC) did not repeat the charter flights during the 2004 Chinese New Year, in part because the two sides could not agree on the terms for meetings to discuss how PRC carriers might also participate.

The two sides agreed to permit cross-strait flights for the Chinese New Year of Rooster in 2005. Unlike the 2003 flights, the 2005 flights did not have to touch down in Hong Kong or Macau, but still must enter its airspace. The first direct commercial flights from China (from [[Guangzhou]]) to Taiwan since 1949 arrived in Taipei on January 29, 2005. Shortly afterwards, a China Airlines carrier landed in Beijing. Airports on both sides saw ceremonial displays on the arrival of the first passengers, with dancing lions and dragons, and officials making speeches. For the three-week holiday period, 48 flights were scheduled.

On 19 July 2006, the first direct chartered all-cargo flight since 1949 operated by China Airlines landed in Shanghai from Taipei.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5193506.stm|title=Taiwan-China cargo flight lands|date=July 19, 2006|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Four other flights were operated on 25 July, 30 July, 8 August, and 10 August 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.people.cn/200607/20/eng20060720_285071.html |title=More direct cargo flights set between Taiwan and Chinese mainland |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=20 July 2006 |website= |publisher=People's Daily Online |access-date=16 February 2022 |quote=The flights are scheduled to touch down in Shanghai on July 25, July 30, August 8 and August 10, said a source with the Shanghai office of the China Airlines, Taiwan's largest air carrier. }}</ref>