TAIPEI - Talks are moving ahead to establish direct weekend chartered flights between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland, officials from both sides said, giving a strong boost on Thursday to the island's tourism related stocks.

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The two sides have eliminated any technical barriers to a plan that would let 12 airlines fly on weekends, a mainland Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman said late on Wednesday.

Taiwan banned direct air links with the mainland since their spilt in 1949 after a civil war, but the two sides exchanged landmark non-stop charter flights for the first time in more than 50 years during the Lunar New Year period in January and February 2005.

In June 2006, Taiwan and the mainland agreed to an extension to that, allowing regular direct passenger flights over four holidays, including the Lunar New Year, Tomb Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-autumn Festival.

Prospects of more direct flights lifted Taiwan's tourism sub-index by 4.73 percent on Thursday, outperforming the broad index's 0.42 percent rise.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council confirmed talks on weekend cargo and passenger flights were continuing, but said important details had yet to be worked out. One detail still being discussed is whether travellers with foreign passports can board the planes.

Taiwan spokeswoman Corinna Wei said there was no timeline for starting the weekend flights.

"The sooner the better," Wei said. "Our direction is to give more convenience to shippers and air passengers."

Passengers could include some of the 1 million Taiwan business people and their families who live in the mainland, which is booming economically, as well as mainland tourists expected to visit Taiwan in greater numbers.

The United Daily News of Taiwan reported that senior Mainland Affairs Council officials said weekend flights would be promoted after the Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February.