China request denied

Ma said the air space along the middle line of the Taiwan Strait is a training ground for the island's air force, and cannot be opened.

China has raised the issue a few times, but each time Taiwan has clearly stated its position with a rejection, Ma said.

“This is something to do with security,” said Ma Thursday in Panama where he was making an official visit.

Both Taipei and Beijing have long observed the middle line, and no military or civilian planes from one side are allowed to cross over to the other side.

But Wang Yi, a Beijing official handling Taiwan relations, recently urged Taipei to consider opening the middle line to facilitate cross-strait direct flights.

Wang, who heads the Taiwan Affairs Office under China's cabinet, also said it is time both sides build up a military mechanism for mutual trust.

But Ma said although such a mutual trust mechanism is important, it is less pressing than some other matters that should be given higher priority.

Over the past year, Taiwan and China have signed nine agreements for highly important and urgent matters.

The main opposition Democratic Progressive Party thinks opening the middle line is out of the question, as it would be tantamount to giving up Taiwan's defense, its spokesman Chuang Shou-han said.

Ma must give top priority to national security, the spokesman said.

Taiwan and China may consider building up a mutual trust mechanism for military matters, but talks for the purpose must be conducted on an equal footing, Chuang said.

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