Taipei  - Star Cruises, the world's third-largest cruise line and the leading Asia-Pacific cruise line, plans to launch a cruise service between Taiwan and China in early 2009, its Taiwan manager said Friday.

"Since Taiwan has dropped the ban on direct shipping with China, we will apply to launch regular cruise service between Taiwan and China next spring," Andy Lew said.

"In the initial stage, we hope to launch three services between Taiwan and China's south-eastern city of Xiamen and increase the service according to demand," he said.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Star Cruises, which now serves Taiwan and China destinations separately, entered the Taiwan market in 1998, offering Taiwan-Japan and offshore voyages from Keelung Port in northern Taiwan from April to November each year.

In 2008, Star Cruises served 110,000 passengers on these Taiwan voyages. Four Star Cruises ships also brought Hong Kong and foreign passengers to Taiwan.

Taiwan and China split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Since then, Taiwan has banned direct sea, air and trade links with China.

Because of the bans, many foreign cruise companies have dropped Taiwan from their international routes, dealing a heavy blow to Taiwan's tourism.

But on June 4, Taiwan and China signed pacts on direct sea links, direct postal links, daily charter flights and food safety.

When the pacts take effect on December 15, Taiwan and Chinese ships would be allowed to cross the Taiwan Strait and the weekend charter flights, launched on July 4, would become daily charter flights.

The pacts cover only Taiwan and Chinese aircraft and ships, but Taiwan Deputy Transport Minister You Fang-lai said Thursday that foreign cruise lines would also be allowed to carry foreign passengers across the Taiwan Strait.

However, because Taiwan wants to lure Chinese tourists to boost its slow-growing tourism industry, Taiwan was negotiating with China to loosen the ban so that foreign cruise ships could also carry Chinese tourists, he said. (dpa)