Direct Shipping Route Connects Damaiyu and Keelung

June 7， 2009 saw the official inauguration of the cargo shipping route between Damaiyu Port in Yuhuan， Zhejiang Province and Taiwan. A month later， the first passenger transport between Damaiyu and Taiwan started on a trial basis. On June 26， 2010， the COSCO Star passenger ro-ro ship set out from Damaiyu on its way to Taiwan， marking the regular and normal passenger operation between Damaiyu and Taiwan.

Ke Xinye， the chief of CPC Yuhuan County Committee， comments: “I have been asked frequently since the inauguration last year when passenger transport between Taizhou and Taiwan would run on a regular schedule. We have now answered this question with our endeavors. With ECFA (the Economic Cooperation Agreement Framework between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan) in place， we are closer.”

The weekly operation carried a total of 2，898 visitors to Taiwan for tourism and business in six voyages from June 26 to July 31. At 10 o’clock， July 3， 2010， the passengers taking the first regular passenger ship on June 26th came back to Damaiyu. Stepping off the COSCO Star， Zhu Liqin observed that taking the cruise ship from home port to Taiwan was a great experience. The mid-aged man emoted， “I was fascinated by the evening scene as well as the spectacular sunrise on the sea. And it was great to see Taiwan people and lifestyle and scenic beauty at a close range.”

Zhu Liqing had every reason to feel pleased with the voyage and visit to the island province. He did not travel a long distance to a central city to start such a sea-crossing trip. The voyage started at Damaiyu port at the door of his home and it started on a Saturday evening. He slept well during the night and found himself arrive at Keelung on Sunday morning. He felt this voyage was most cost-efficient: less time for traveling and more time for sightseeing. Moreover， the COSCO Star is the largest and most luxurious passenger ro-ro ship now plying across the straits. The huge ship is equipped with a full range of service facilities， including 600 sleeping berths. And it is at least 50% cheaper than traveling by plane and you can carry more baggage.

Yan Qiaoping was one of the 550 passengers taking the first regular ship for a week-long visit to the island. He is a deputy manager of a company based in Zhejiang. He was among the passengers in 2009 who took Ocean Lala to visit Taiwan for sightseeing. This time he planned to do an in-depth field study for business opportunities. He says， “The IT industry of Taiwan has a competitive edge on the market. The direct shipping service between Zhejiang and Taiwan provides a strong logistical guarantee. I wish to establish business partnerships through this tour.” He was greatly encouraged by ECFA， which was signed on June 29， 2010 during his visit to Taiwan.

It is no accident that Damaiyu Port was chosen for the first direct passenger shipping route between Zhejiang and Taiwan. The route between Damaiyu and Keelung is 163 sea miles， even shorter than the sea distance between Damaiyu and Ningbo in the northern Zhejiang. There have been strong ties between Yuhuan and Taiwan for decades. Moreover， Yuhuan County in Taizhou is China’s manufacturing powerhouse of industrial valves and plumbing fittings.

Li Jiade， a businessman from Taiwan， has been in Yuhuan for more than ten years. His valves and plumbing accessories manufacturing business is an industrial leader in the country， with products exporting mainly to Europe and America. With ECFA in place to promote business ties between the mainland and the island， Li Jiade sees more opportunities in Taiwan.

Yuhuan Machine Tools Industrial Association organized a group of 25 local enterprises to visit Taipei Machine Tools Exhibition a month before the regular passenger shipping started. Taiwan partners were very enthusiastic about business opportunities in Yuhuan.

The close ties between Yuhuan and Taiwan go back to history. Yuhuan is home to immigrants from Fujian Province. Local residents in some towns and villages in Yuhuan speak the Minnan dialect， which is widely used in both southern Fujian and Taiwan. At present， Yuhuan has more than 10，000 Taiwan residents living in the county.

The direct shipping route between Damaiyu and Keelung started in 1945. In 1984， Yuhuan set up a business to handle trade with Taiwan， the first of its kind on the mainland at that time. In 1988， Damaiyu Port was authorized by the State Council as an experimental base to try small-amount trade between Taiwan and the mainland. In 1992， a Damaiyu-Taiwan economic development zone was set up in Yuhuan. In 1997， a business center was set up in Damaiyu to promote trade ties between Damaiyu， Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Through the off-on shipping operations with Taiwan over the past 60 years， Damaiyu has laid a solid foundation for further economic growth in partnership with business in Taiwan. At present， Damaiyu Port accounts for 70% of the Taiwan-centric small-amount trade volume of Taizhou City and 49% of the provincial total. The regular shipping will further promote the economic and trade relations between Zhejiang and Taiwan. □