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Mainland vessel to visit Taiwan
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CHINA'S southeastern Fujian Province is planning to send a boat on a historic trip to the small Taiwan island of Kinmen early next week, a report published on China Daily's website yesterday quoted officials in the province as saying.
The crossing, if successful, will be the first legal voyage from the mainland across the 6-km stretch of the strait in more than 50 years, the report said.
“We are shooting for a trip to take place on February 6,” said a staff member with the semi-official Kinmen Compatriot Federation in the Fujian port city of Xiamen, who identified himself as Mr Dai. “We are trying to work out the formalities with the Taiwan side.”
The boat is expected to carry about 100 passengers, most of them senior citizens who intend to visit relatives on the island, he said.
Taiwan sent its first two boats to travel directly between the island province and the mainland in nearly 52 years on January 2.
The three “mini-links” — direct transport, trade and postal services — between Taiwan's Kinmen and Matsu islands and Fujian are expected to develop into broader relations as early as the end of the year, the report quoted sources as saying. (SD-Agencies)
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