Kinmen island Photo:VCG

Direct passenger transport services between Fujian Province's coastal areas and Kinmen and Matsu islands will resume from Saturday to February 6 after nearly three years of suspension to meet the needs of people in the islands returning home during the Spring Festival for their family reunion, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The Xiamen-Jinmen ship route was the first to resume service on Saturday. The route linking Xiamen, Fujian Province on the mainland and Jinmen island is carried out by passenger ships from both sides of the Straits, with one round trip every day.

The passenger route between Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province on the mainland, and Matsu island will also be reopened from Sunday.

The news came after Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in December that there is no obstacle on the mainland side to resume travel and other direct exchanges between Fujian Province's coastal areas and Kinmen and Matsu.

The passenger route was unilaterally suspended by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan in February 2020, on the grounds of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control.

Zhu said in December that the Chinese mainland will try its best to accommodate the growing travel needs of people across the Straits as the Spring Festival nears.

The passenger route is part of an exchange policy known as the "mini three links," which refers to direct trade, postal and transport services launched in 2001 between Kinmen and Matsu islands and some cities in Fujian Province.

Global Times