Taipei - China Southern Airlines opened a representative office in Taipei Thursday, becoming the first Chinese airline to gain a foothold in the Taiwan market.

Si Xianmin, chairman of China's largest airline, opened the office in Taipei's trendy Minsheng East Road. Taiwan transport officials and airline representatives attended the opening ceremony.

The office is aimed at promoting China Southern's business links with Taiwan and will not sell plane tickets, which are sold by Taiwan travel agencies.

China Southern has 342 planes serving 841 destinations worldwide. It ranked as number one in Asia and number four in the world in terms of passenger volume in 2008, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Taiwan, after having banned air links with China for six decades, launched weekend charter flights with China and allowing Chinese tour groups to enter Taiwan in July 2008 and regular charter flights in December.

The opening of air links prompted Chinese airlines to discuss a wide range of cooperation with its Taiwan counterparts, including encouraging Taiwan tourists to fly to foreign countries via China which has more overseas air links than Taiwan.

The lack of diplomatic ties - it is recognized by only 23 countries - has hurt Taiwan, making it difficult for the island to sign air pacts on the one hand, and causing foreign airlines to neglect Taiwan on the other.

Taiwan's air network with Asia, Europe and the United States is not extensive, and it has no direct air links with Africa and Latin America. (dpa)