Mainland China has announced a new round of charter flights with Taiwan in an effort to temporarily skirt a ban on direct transport links between the historical 'rivals'.

Eleven mainland and Taiwanese carriers will fly 42 round trips through April 8 to coincide with the Qingming festival, Xinhua News Agency said on March 19.

Flights will service Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan, and Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xiamen in the mainland.

The flights were agreed last year during negotiations between the two sides.