It took Mr. Su, a traveler from Taiwan, very little time to get through customs in Pingtan, Fujian province on July 1.

He was one of 249 passengers on the Natchan Rera, a high-speed ro-ro ship running between Taipei and Pingtan, becoming the first Taiwan people to visit the mainland after authorities eased up entry rules for them.

The latest policy stipulates that starting on July 1, Taiwan people will no longer need to apply for a visa-like endorsements before entering the mainland. As long as they are in possession of the Mainland Travel Permit (MTP), they can commute between Taiwan and mainland at will.

The move saves some time from paperwork and fees on Taiwan travelers like Su, who was given the green light by customs officers in about 10 seconds.

“It is my second time to come to Pingtan. And compared with last time, it was much faster,” he said.