Mainland, Taiwan to open new shipping route
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-05-31 11:29
Passenger ferry service will begin between another pair of Chinese mainland
and Taiwan ports on June 8, a Chinese mainland official announced here
Wednesday.
The ferries will operate between Quanzhou of east China's Fujian province and
Jinmen of Taiwan, said He Shizhong, director of the economic bureau of the
Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a press conference.
Fujian opened ferry services with Jinmen and Mazu, two small islands near
Fujian, on 2001. Since then, the ferries have transported more than 1.4 million
passengers and 3.96 million tons of freight.
"Operation of direct shipping services between Fujian, Jinmen and Mazu in the
past five years have accumulated experience for realizing comprehensive direct
sea transport links across the Strait," said He.
The ships only carry company flags to avoid sensitive issues. "This method
can certainly be expanded to include other ports," he said.
The mainland side has always stood for realizing comprehensive, direct and
two-way mail, trade and transport links, which is a necessity of economic
exchanges and cooperation and personnel exchanges, said He.
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