China Airlines- The Wings of Taiwan

The roots of China Airlines can be found in mainland China. After several attempts to set up national airlines in mainland China, the airline was first established in 1929, but the company was short-lived. During WWII and the subsequent civil war in China, the American CIA decided to set up an airline to supply the anti-communist troops of Chiang Kai-shek. By 1949, the government had retreated to Taiwan (officially, the Republic of China), which had been liberated. A new China Airlines was set up with American assistance. In the first years of its existence, its main task was shipping supplies to anti-communist forces in Asia. Only in the late 1960s did its focus shift from military to civilian operations. However, the airline would continue to struggle because of tensions between mainland China and the Republic of China. Finally, in 2009, regular flights between Taiwan and China were introduced, enabling citizens on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to visit relatives on the other side.