China announced new measures to improve direct shipping to Taiwan, in a meeting which coincided with the opening of a cross-strait forum on Saturday evening in Xiamen, local media reported. Five new ports will be opened, bringing the total to 68, said Song Dexing, director of the Water Transport Department at the Ministry of Transport, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Another eight measures were announced to boost cross-strait shipping, including the exemption of some taxes, the establishment of representative offices and moves to increase maritime safety, the report said. The new measures were set out at a round-table meeting held as part of a week-long cross strait forum in the southern coastal city of Xiamen.
More than 8,000 Taiwanese are expected to participate in the forum, including mayors and magistrates from 25 Taiwan cities and counties, heads of key trade organisations, and Taiwanese tourists, Xinhua reported. Chu Li-lun, vice chairman of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT) Party, said the forum will help facilitate cross-strait economic and trade co-operation, the report said.
"I believe we won't be absent from developing the economy of the western side of the Taiwan Straits and we will also play an important role in this regard," Chu was quoted as saying. Wang Yi, director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said at the forum's opening ceremony that the general public will be "the core force to propel the progress of cross-strait relations."
The forum comes only weeks after Chinese and Taiwanese negotiators signed new deals pledging to increase direct flights, jointly fight major crime, and improve financial and economic co-operation. As well as a conference, the week-long activities will include a trade fair, tourism forum and cultural activities.
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