A delegation from the Research Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the Development and Reform Center of the State Council (DRC) visited Pingtan, an island county in Fujian, on Oct 23 to inspect the conditions concerning policies for the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone to cooperate with the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, Pingtan's official website reported.

The delegation was led by Zhang Qi, deputy director of the Foreign Trade Department, and accompanied by Zhou Qingsong, deputy director of the pilot zone's management committee, and other Pingtan officials.

The delegation inspected facilities and measures concerning ship safety at the Jidiao Dock in the Jinjing Bay area. Jidiao Dock is expected to play an important role in the performance of marine logistics in Pingtan and a transfer hub for economic and trade transactions across the Taiwan Straits.

Zhou discussed Pingtan's improvements in public infrastructure, saying that Pingtan - a free trade port - is playing a bigger role in cross-Straits trade and transactions, and is attracting an increasing number of enterprises to settle in the county. Zhou also said he hopes that Pingtan will be able to enjoy special policies as the nation's first pilot zone opening up to Taiwan.

The delegation also visited other key projects on the island, including Haixia Bridge, the Haixia Ruyi real estate project, Round-the-Island Road, and Ao'qian Passenger Dock.

Edited by Niva Whyman