Taiwan's defense ministry says direct air links with China would threaten island's security

Taiwan's defense ministry says direct air links with rival China would threaten the island's security by exposing air force operations.

The comment in a statement Friday appears to put the ministry at odds with President-elect Ma Ying-jeou, who wants to lift a decades-long ban on direct flights in order to bolster economic ties.

The ban came about when the two sides split amid civil war in 1949. China continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory, and has threatened war if the island moves to make the break permanent.

The outgoing ruling Democratic Progressive Party rejected direct air links with China partly because of security concerns.