First Taiwanese boats to mainland in 50 years

First Taiwanese boats to mainland in 50 years

XIAMEN, China (Reuters): The first Taiwan boats in more than 50 years to make legal, direct trips to the Chinese mainland docked in the southeastern province of Fujian on Tuesday, port officials said.

The historic trips by two passenger vessels from Taiwan's frontline islands of Quemoy and Matsu marked a small but significant step in Beijing's push for full trade, transport and postal exchanges with its longtime rival.

The largely symbolic landings signaled the formal start of "mini three links" across the few miles of sea separating the heavily fortified islands from the mainland.

Taiwan's stock market closed more than four percent higher on Tuesday on hopes the establishment of limited direct transport and trade links with mainland China will ease political tensions. China-related stocks were big gainers.

Chinese markets were unmoved by the event, which has not been reported by state-controlled media.

The 4,700-ton Taima arrived in the Fujian capital of Fuzhou carrying a group of 498 pilgrims and 16 reporters led by Matsu county commissioner Liu Li-chyun.

An hour later, the 200-ton Taiwu docked in Xiamen carrying a 192-member delegation from Quemoy led by county commissioner Chen Shui-tsai. It was accompanied by a second ship carrying cargo.

"This is like coming back to my home soil," Chen told reporters in Xiamen. "Quemoy and Xiamen are just 6,000 metres apart but the journey took 52 years."

The ships, not flying Taiwan's national flag, were given little in the way of welcoming ceremonies by China, which says the opening does not go far enough and calls for direct trade and travel between China and all of Taiwan.

China's Foreign Trade Ministry issued a statement saying Taipei had "abandoned the main road to take the small road" in stopping short of allowing full links across the strait.

"These are not direct links in the true sense and fundamentally do not meet the demand for cross-strait flows of goods and people," the statement said.

Beijing grudgingly went along with Taiwan's unilateral arrangement for limited exchanges, but has barred foreign media coverage to avoid giving rival Taiwan a publicity coup. China has not announced any plans to send ships to Quemoy or Matsu.

Taiwan reporters were allowed to disembark at Fuzhou, but were not permitted to bring television cameras. Those arriving at Xiamen were allowed to shoot video of the event.

Quemoy delegation head Chen met Xiamen mayor Zhu Yayan and invited him to visit the island. Zhu did not give a reply.

Last month, Taipei approved limited direct trade and transport links between Fujian province, Matsu and Quemoy, islands which have been economic backwaters at the front line of Taiwan's defenses against China since 1949.

Taiwan has banned direct trade, travel and postal links with China since 1949, after Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist troops lost to the Communists and fled into exile.

Since rapprochement began in the late 1980s, all trade and travel has been routed through Hong Kong or other places.

Taiwan hopes direct travel between its frontier islands and China will ease the tension that has kept the rivals on a war footing for more than five decades. China shelled Quemoy, also known as Kinmen, in August 1958 and intermittently until 1979.

Only residents of Quemoy and Matsu are permitted to travel directly to Xiamen and Fuzhou, favorite investment sites for Taiwan businesses. Other Taiwan travelers, as well as cargo, must still go through Hong Kong or other territories.

Beijing, which insists the landmark voyages are merely domestic trips, appears eager to avoid presenting the limited exchanges as a diplomatic breakthrough.

The Chinese cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office issued a directive ordering mainland authorities to give the travelers from Taiwan a warm welcome but to keep a lid on publicity.

Hong Kong media quoted the policymaking body as saying Beijing feared Taipei would trumpet the new links as a policy success for Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian and a relaxation in cross-strait ties, which have been especially tense recently.

Chen, elected last March, is regarded with special wariness by Beijing because his Democratic Progressive Party espouses Taiwan independence. China fears Chen will use the boat trips as an excuse to procrastinate on political talks, the reports said.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has threatened to attack if the island declares independence or drags its feet on reunification talks. Taipei says it has been a sovereign state for decades.