New direct shipping route cuts time from Taiwan

A direct sea freight route opened on Saturday between Taiwan's Kaohsiung and Pingtan in Fujian province, drastically shortening shipping times for fresh farm produce from the island to mainland markets.

In the past, shipments from Kaohsiung were required to make intermediate stops at other Taiwan ports. But now they can go directly to the mainland.

A freighter operated by Taiwan trade shipping agency Wagon departed from a port in Kaohsiung in southwestern Taiwan, bound for Pingtan off the east coast of Fujian, on Saturday afternoon.

The direct 330-kilometer journey between the two cities shortens shipping time from two or three days to just nine hours.

The freighter was loaded with more than 700 metric tons of goods, including fruit, vegetables, frozen food, fruit juice and liquid crystal display panels worth more than 15 million yuan ($2.2 million).

All the goods had been purchased by enterprises in Pingtan to supply the needs of customers during Spring Festival celebrations on the mainland.

The sale was the first export shipment from Kaohsiung since the Kuomintang party's Han Kuo-yu took office as the city's mayor in December.

During his election campaign, Han described the city as "old and poor" and said it should no longer ignore the mainland market. He gained popularity with his slogan, "The goods go out, people come in, and Kaohsiung makes a fortune".

Han said he recognizes the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle, and hoped to deepen cooperation with the mainland to boost the city's economy.