China and Taiwan may exchange their first direct flights in more than five decades in February under a proposal hammered out by Chinese policy makers and Taiwan opposition legislators in Beijing on Monday.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office proposed allowing the first direct commercial flights across the Taiwan Strait since 1949, when Nationalist troops lost the Chinese civil war to the Communists and fled to the island.

Under the plan, Chinese planes would land on Taiwan soil during the Lunar New Year holidays that begin on February 9 without having to make stopovers in Hong Kong or Macau, the lawmakers from Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party said after a meeting with minister of Taiwan affairs Chen Yunlin.

"If the Taiwan authorities really care about the interests of Taiwan compatriots, live up to their promise, are flexible and pragmatic, these Lunar New Year charter flights absolutely can be realized," Chen told the Taiwan parliamentary delegation, according to a statement from the Taiwan Affairs Office.

The latest proposal needs the blessing of the Taiwan government, which has in the past said it agrees in principle to direct charter flights by Taiwan and Chinese airlines but needs to negotiate the details.

The Mainland Affairs Council, which formulates Taiwan policy towards China, welcomed talks as soon as possible.

"We hope the mainland side can stand by its own words and immediately begin practical negotiations in a manner acceptable to both sides," the office said in a statement.

During the 2003 Chinese new year festival, charter flights between Shanghai and Taipei were commissioned to Taiwan airlines. However, Taipei would not allow planes to fly directly between Taiwan and China, requiring them to make token stops in Hong Kong or Macau, lengthening a one hour flight to about four hours.

Taiwan has banned direct air and shipping links with China since their civil war split, but President Chen Shui-bian expressed hope charter flights could be a step towards better relations, without making direct reference to Monday's proposal.

"When a breakthrough is made in Lunar New Year charter flights between the two sides, it could be an important basis for normalizing cross-Strait relations," he told TVBS television.

Business and tourism ties have blossomed despite the diplomatic freeze and about 1 million Taiwan businessmen and their families live and work in China. They want the ban lifted.

"We ask the DPP government to live up to promises it made in the past regarding Lunar New Year charter flights," said John Chang, a Nationalist deputy and the sole surviving grandson of late Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek.

"We hope tension between the two sides of the Strait can ease somewhat, but today minister Chen made a very important point. He thinks the cross-Strait situation is serious."

Last year, China did not allow a repeat of the 2003 charter flights, fearing the move could help Chen Shui-bian to win re-election. Chen won the 2004 presidential election anyway.

Airline executives said Taiwan airlines likely to participate would be China Airlines, EVA Air, Trans Asia Airways, Far East Air Transport, Mandarin Airlines and UNI Airways.

On the mainland, airline executives have named Air China, China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and China Eastern as possibly taking part.