CHINA Airlines launched a regular flight between Taipei and Qingdao on Nov. 3.     The airline now flies the route twice a week, landing in Qingdao at 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday and Saturday, to boost the economic and cultural exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan.     In total, there are nine flights between Qingdao and Taiwan each week, operated by EVA Airways, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Shandong Airlines.     Direct sea and air links between Qingdao and Taiwan started on Dec. 18 and 26 in 2008 respectively.     More than 500,000 Taiwanese had visited Qingdao by September and a total of 35,000 Taiwanese visited Qingdao between January and September this year, 9 percent more than the same period last year.     Meanwhile, 800 travel groups from Qingdao totaling more than 20,000 people visited Taiwan between January and September this year.(Li Hao, Li Xiaohai)