Taipei  - Taiwan, in its latest move to ease tensions with China, plans to allow local officials to visit China, a newspaper said Friday.

The Mainland Affairs Council is discussing the feasibility of allowing city mayors and county magistrates to visit China for city- and county-related affairs, and may give the nod next week, the Liberty Times reported.

Taiwan has banned contacts with China since 1949, when the Republic of China government lost the Chinese Civil War and fled to Taiwan to set up its government-in-exile.

In 1987, as cross-strait tension eased, Taiwan allowed its residents to visit China for family reunions, sightseeing and trade, but still bans officials from visiting China unless with approval from the Mainland Affairs Council, which sets policies toward China.

Taiwan still bans direct air and sea links with China, but these bans are expected to be dropped soon as newly inaugurated President Ma Ying-jeou has called for greater exchanges with China so that Taiwan and China can coexist peacefully.

Under Ma's instruction, Taiwan and China on July 4 will launch weekend charter flights, which will be expanded to daily charter flights and eventually to regular passenger flights. (dpa)