The Ministry of Communications yesterday urged Taiwan to take
pragmatic and rapid steps towards direct shipping links across the
Taiwan Straits.
In a written statement, the ministry said the mainland is
prepared, both legally and technically, to open cross-Straits sea
links.
The call was part of fresh efforts by Chinese mainland to
establish direct transportation, trade and postal services to
Taiwan.
On Wednesday, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
published its first document on the policy on the three direct
links, which has been subject to a decades-old ban by Taipei.
The policy paper, entitled "Actively and Realistically Promote
‘Three Direct Links’ Across the Taiwan Straits by Reliance on the
People and in the Interests of the People'', enunciates Beijing's
stance and policy on the three links and related issues.
The statement from the Ministry of Communications said the
mainland has implemented seven laws and regulations to manage
cross-Straits sea links.
Shipping industries from Taiwan and the mainland have held five
seminars to work out technical solutions to problems concerning
cross-Straits sea links, the policy explains.
In early 1997, the mainland and Taiwan opened direct shipping
services on a trial basis between Fuzhou and Xiamen in the
southeastern Chinese province of Fujian and Taiwan's Kaohisung.
By October this year, six mainland shipping companies and four
Taiwanese counterparts had transported more than 2.6 million
standard containers, the statement says.
At the same time, 11 shipping firms service 13 routes through
indirect shipping links via Hong Kong and Macao, across the
Straits. Those routes have been in place since February 1998
between nine ports on the mainland and four ports in Taiwan.
Incomplete statistics suggest some 2 million cargo containers
have been ferried.
The Ministry of Communications said direct sea links between
Fujian and the Taiwan islands of Jinmen and Mazu were allowed in
early 2001 to benefit travel and business of Taiwan
compatriots.
At present, 20 cargo ships and five passenger vessels are run on
shipping routes between coastal cities of Fujian and Jinmen and
Mazu.
So far, Taiwan shipping companies have established seven
business branches and 37 representative offices on the
mainland.
(China Daily?December 19, 2003)