Taiwan resident Chen Yi-ting receives his mainland residence permit handed over by a police officer in Fuzhou, capital city of East China's Fujian province on Sept 3. [Photo/ Fujian Daily]

Taiwan resident Chen Yi-ting received his mainland residence permit Monday in Fuzhou, capital city of Fujian, becoming the first recipient of the card in the province, local media reported.

Chen, 47, came to Fuzhou in 1997 after graduation to help his father, who had started a factory in the city and he is also now head of the Taiwan Enterprise and Investment Association in Fuzhou.

According to a guideline released by the State Council on Aug 16, starting on Sept 1, residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who have lived on the Chinese mainland for longer than six months can apply for a new mainland residence permit.

Some 1,210 police stations in Fujian is dealing with the applications, said Du Qingsen, deputy head of the Fujian Public Security Department.

Those given mainland residence cards will receive almost the same treatment as existing mainland residents in multiple fields, including employment, medical care, vehicle license applications, travel bookings and hotel accommodations.

Applicants with stable jobs and housing on the mainland can bring their mainland travel permits and related materials to local bureaus, and they should receive a mainland residence permit in about 20 working days.

Applicants for the new card will not need to have mainland hukou - household registration - or give up their residency and welfare entitlements in their original residences.

By April 2017, there were about 6,500 Taiwan-funded companies in Fujian, with about 8,800 employees from the island. About 1,450 started their own business, mainly in the catering and retail industries, according to the local government.