Quanzhou-Kinmen ferry resumed service on February 10. The picture shows the ship "Ba Fang" that in charge of the operation docking at a terminal in Quanzhou, Southeast China's Fujian Province. Photo:Chinanews.com

Quanzhou-Kinmen ferry, one of the direct transport links between Chinese mainland's Quanzhou in Fujian Province and Kinmen region administered by Taiwan authorities, resumed service on Friday, after a lapse of nearly three years. 

Ferries on this route are scheduled to be two round-trips a week. The first passenger ferry left a terminal in Quanzhou for Kinmen on Friday morning, while another passenger ferry departing from Kinmen arrived in Quanzhou, completing the first round-trip journey after the resumption of service.

The above ferry services are a part of "three mini links," or the transport, trade and postal services between the Taiwan authorities-administered off shore islets of Kinmen, Matsu and mainland's Xiamen, Quanzhou, and Fuzhou in Fujian Province.  

Quanzhou-Kinmen passenger service has operated more than 29,000 ferries safely for 1.39 million passengers so far, with its annual passenger flow reaching 160,000, according to a China Central Television report. 

The ferry services were launched in 2001 for the convenience of people's travel across the Straits. The services were suspended by secessionists Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in February 2020.

DPP authorities partially resumed the ferry services from January 7 to February 6, 2023, including the lines between Xiamen and Kinmen, and between Fuzhou's Mawei district and Matsu, for Spring Festival travel needs. Although the ferry service was extended since February 7, it was limited to residents of Kinmen and Matsu, and mainland spouses of Taiwan residents.

According to data from Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, 78 ferries operated on the two lines, carrying a total of 5,169 passengers since it restored operation.

On Wednesday, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of Taiwan Affairs Office, condemned the DPP authorities for obstructing cross-Straits exchanges and using the epidemic as an excuse. She urged the DPP to restore normal operation of direct flights across the Taiwan Straits and remove the unilateral restrictions on cross-Straits exchanges. 

During a meeting with Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of the Kuomintang party (KMT), on Thursday in Beijing, Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office, said the mainland is willing to promote relations between the two parties and the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, based on the common political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Guided by the conviction that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are one family, the mainland will continue to respect, care for and deliver benefits to Taiwan compatriots and advance cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation in all fields, Song said.

Hsia led a KMT delegation to the mainland for visits. Hsia is scheduled to attend a symposium on "cross-Straits relations and exchanges and cooperation in the post-COVID era," and meet with Taiwan businesspeople in the mainland, according to media reports. 


Global Times