A delegation from Wagon Group, an international trade shipping agency headquartered in Taiwan, paid a visit to the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone in Fujian province on May 24, ptnet.cn reports.
The guests met with local government officials and discussed cross-Straits logistics, express delivery by sea and the use of Taiwan vehicles in Fujian.
Already part of the Fujian Free Trade Zone, Pingtan aims to become a “common homeland” for people across the Strait and an international tourist resort. It has strong competiveness in preferential policies, innovative mechanisms and fast customs to appeal to global investors, said Lin Jiangling, deputy director of the PCPZ’s administrative committee.
Lin thanked Wagon’s continued support for the Pingtan FTZ and the opening of several cross-Straits cargo shipping routes.
Wagon plans to play a bigger role in construction of logistics storage and cargo shipping routes. It will also make efforts to create more convenience in landing Taiwan vehicles in Fujian, said Hong Qingtan, board chairman of the company.
Cross-Straits Express Delivery By Sea
A new logistics zone responsible for cross-Straits express delivery by sea went into operation in Taipei, Taiwan on April 30.
The Taipei Port International Logistics Co in Taiwan became the first company in express deliveries in the Fujian Free Trade Zone (FTZ).
Express delivery by sea will rise as an emerging industry in Taiwan. The company is a touchstone for deepening cross-Straits trade, said Vincent Siew, honorary chairman of the Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation.
Cross-Straits express delivery is based on two high-speed ships that operate between Pingtan in Fujian and Taiwan. A single trip takes no more than 3 hours and can slash logistics costs by 40 percent compared with air delivery.
Pingtan Normalizes Entry of Taiwan Vehicles
Fujian gave a green light to road freight between Pingtan and Taiwan on April 16.
Currently there are two ferries commuting between Pingtan and Taiwan every day. One of them is the Haixia, one of the world's fastest roll-on and off ferries, with a capacity of 780 people, 260 small cars and 1,000 tons of cargo.
Allowing freight vehicles to drive on each other's roads will cut costs for enterprises, and is expected to increase cross-Straits economic exchanges, according to insiders.
Vehicles must file a record to transportation authorities in Fujian and Taiwan, and comply with local traffic rules.
Pingtan's transportation authority will grant permits valid for three years to Taiwan applicants.