Taiwan
Fujian crucial in cross-Straits cooperation
By Wei Tian (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-18 07:55
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Through increasingly frequent exchanges in recent years, a strong bond has formed between the mainland and Taiwan. Large cross-Straits people-to-people exchanges have been the driving force for the improving relationship.
Fujian province has played an important role in linking with Taiwan in the fields of agriculture, transport, tourism, and personnel exchange.
Airports in Xiamen and Fuzhou have opened regular, direct air routes to Taiwan and Xiamen Airlines have set up a branch in Taiwan.
Eight seaports along the Fujian coast have become the first cross-Straits shipping ports on the mainland.
The two cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou also offer direct postal services to Taiwan.
Fujian gateway
As well, people in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the mainland can now visit Taiwan via Fujian.
Foreign citizens living for more than one year in Fuzhou or Xiamen may apply for travel documents to visit Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu and Taiwan Island.
According to statistics, 108,000 tourists visited Taiwan in 2009 via the ports in Fujian, of which nearly 40,000 were from other provinces. Fujian has become an important point from which mainland residents can visit Taiwan.
Economic cooperation
By enhancing cooperation in the political, economic, technological, cultural, and educational spheres, the West Coast Economic Zone in Fujian has played a key role in the development of cross-Straits relations.
In May 2009, the State Council promulgated plans to accelerate the development of the West Coast Economic Zone.
As part of this huge economic zone, the Haicang Bonded Port Area in Xiamen, the Yongfu Taiwanese Farmers Pioneer Park in Zhangping, and the Shacheng Taiwanese Fishermen's Park in Fuding have all recently been put into service.
An investment in Xiamen Commercial Bank by Taiwan Fubon Bank, was approved by the China Banking Regulatory Commission, making Fubon the first Bank from Taiwan to invest in the mainland banking sector.
Jun Long Life Co Ltd, a joint venture between Taiwan Life and Xiamen C & D Group, was recently established, becoming the first joint venture life insurance company of the two sides to be headquartered in Fujian.
Fujian has implemented a number of preferential policies for businesspeople from Taiwan to protect their rights and interests.
Small and medium-sized enterprises with registered capital under $10 million account for about 95 percent of all Taiwanese-funded businesses, mainly in labor-intensive export processing industries.
In recent years, Fujian province has promoted cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation through various trade fairs and events.
Among these events, the Straits Forum has become the most important event for people-to-people exchanges.
In addition, Fujian has established a number of other exchange vehicles such as the Cross-Straits University Presidents Forum and Cross-Straits Youth Forum.