¡¡(2) Transport Link Shipping Service

    In August 1979, the mainland proposed for negotiations on sea transportation across the Straits with the shipping community in Taiwan, and declared that Taiwan ships would have access to all its open ports. In order to ensure navigation security across the Straits, the mainland offered the services of mainland lighthousesto ships from Taiwan, and fully opened offshore radio service to Taiwan ships to provide them with communication and navigation services. In addition, the two sides co-founded a search and rescue hotline. Relevant regulations, such as Measures for Shipping Management Across the Taiwan Straits, promulgated in August 1996, standardize essential matters concerning direct shipping across the Straits. So far, seven business offices and 37shipping agencies for Taiwan-based shipping companies have been given approval to be set up at key ports on the mainland's coastalareas.

    In April 1997, direct shipping between Fuzhou and Xiamen, and Kaohsiung entered trial operation. Mainland- and Taiwan-invested shipping companies can use vessels with a flag of convenience to transport foreign transshipment trade cargos of both sides via Kaohsiung Port. In March 1998, a regular container shipping route was inaugurated across the Straits, whereby cargo ships calling atports across the Straits require change of documents rather than vessels at a third place.

    In consideration of the demand of the people in Jinmen and Mazu,in early 2001 the mainland provided every possible assistance for shipping between the two islands and the coastal areas of Fujian Province. Vessels funded by and registered on either side of the Straits can conduct passenger and cargo transport across the Straits by flying only company flags.

    Air Service

    In October 1981, the mainland's civil aviation administration expressed readiness to negotiate at any time with its Taiwan counterpart on an air link across the Straits. In March 1990, the mainland released the Provisional Regulations on Application and Approval Procedures for Nonscheduled Flights of Civil Aviation Transport Between the China Mainland and Taiwan. From 1989 to 1996,the civil aviation sectors of both sides each served as sales agencies in passenger and cargo transport for the other, and commenced one-ticket and through baggage services between them. They signed several agreements on cooperation in the aspects of ticket-booking, commerce, plane maintenance, aviation and services.In December 1995 and August 1996, Air Macao and Dragonair opened Macao-Taiwan and Hong Kong-Taiwan air routes, respectively, realizing indirect air links between the mainland and Taiwan via Macao and Hong Kong. Since 1997, four Taiwan airlines have been given approval to set up their representative offices in Beijing.

    In 2003, the mainland adopted flexible and practical measures aimed at handling special cases with special methods, to facilitate Taiwan business people's return to the island for the Spring Festival: Six Taiwan airlines were given approval to operate charter planes 16 times to carry Taiwan business people tocommute between Taipei and Kaohsiung and Shanghai via Hong Kong and Macao. This was the first time in 50-plus years that Taiwan-operated planes had landed at a mainland airport by a normal approach.