Mainland official: Direct links to bring mainland, Taiwan compatriots closer
2008-12-17 07:31:42 GMT2008-12-17 15:31:42 (Beijing Time)
Xinhua English
(From L to R) Chen Yunlin, president of the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, Li Shenglin, Chinese minister of communications, Lien Chan, Kuomintang honorary chairman, Zhang Gaoli, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chief of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee, Zheng Wantong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Wang Yi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council (Cabinet), attend the ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between China's mainland and Taiwan in north China's Tianjin port, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning. (Xinhua/Liu Haifeng)
BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Direct air and sea shipping and postal services between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan would bring people on both sides of the strait closer, a mainland spokesman said Wednesday.
Direct routes would not only bring about direct economic benefits, but make cross-Strait interaction easier, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Li Weiyi said during a press conference.
Cross-strait direct air and sea shipping and postal services began Monday amid warming ties, ending a 59-year ban on such direct routes.
Formerly, air and sea shipping and mail had to detour through Hong Kong.
The "three direct links" came after the two sides signed a series of landmark agreements last month in Taipei.
