HISTORIC DAY: A man posts a letter on December 15, the first day of direct postal services across the Taiwan Straits

A milestone in history

Wang Hailiang, Secretary General of the Taiwan Study Center at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences

Due to historical reasons, sea and air transportation and postal services across the Straits were blocked for nearly 60 years. Communication between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland has been badly conducted. Although the economic connection has been strengthened a lot in the past decade, indirect links across the Straits have long been a prime concern and have caused a lot of inconveniences. All these played a negative role in communication across the Straits.

The achievement of the "three direct links" is a milestone in relations between both sides of the Straits. It signifies the beginning of frequent communication, and creates a peaceful and preferable social atmosphere for people on both sides. Meanwhile, it will benefit many industries, including the financial services industry, creative industry and consulting industry. Direct links across the Straits will play a positive role in the future development of both Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.

Taiwan benefits more from direct sea transportation

Shou Jianmin, Professor of Economics at Shanghai Maritime University

HAPPY LANDING: Several Taiwanese tourists, who arrived on one of the first direct flights from the island to Shanghai, wave to mainlanders at the airport on December 15, 2008

With the development of the Chinese mainland, setting up effective links between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland is an important way to develop Taiwan's economy. Direct sea transportation can benefit Taiwan more than the Chinese mainland.

The Chinese mainland opened 63 ports and Taiwan opened 11 ports this time for direct sea transportation. It is the first time in history that so many ports are open across the Straits.

Since sea transportation was blocked in 1949, the earliest sea transportation across the Straits started in the 1980s. In September 1988, two passenger freighters from the Taiwan Excelsior Shipping Co. set off from Taiwan for Shanghai via Japan. They delivered 1,880 people from Taiwan to the Chinese mainland, but stopped operations on December 3, as they couldn't recoup the cost of traveling over such a long distance.