The three-day seminar has been jointly organized by the mainland's Association for Shipping Across the Taiwan Straits (ASATS) and Taiwan's Taiwan Strait Shipping Association (TSSA). Some 200 shipping experts from China's mainland, Taiwan and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will exchange views on issues relating to shipping across the Taiwan Straits, such as shipping management, shipping communication, and port management.

Hong Shanxiang, vice minister of Communications, said at Monday's opening ceremony that it is the common desire of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to realize direct links in trade, transportation and postal services across the Taiwan Straits as soon as possible.

Hong said that shipping service between the two sides will be a domestic business under special administration. He also said that his ministry will take measures to facilitate trade and transportation across the Taiwan Straits, which may help to promote the development of relations between the two sides of the Straits.

Hu Hanxiang, chief councilor of ASATS, said that China's mainland and Taiwan will enter the World Trade Organization by the year end of this year or early next year. The pending entry will create an excellent opportunity for the realization of the "three links" within the framework of the "one China" principle.

Ting-Huei Chen, board chairman of TSSA, said that a thorough exchange of views between the two sides of the Straits will help to prepare for the three direct links.

The seminar is the fifth exchange between the two sides of the Straits since 1992.

(Xinhua News Agency 09/10/2001)