Trailblazers for Cross-Straits Exchanges

New Height, New Goals

    The building of a modern transportation network in the province has accompanied every stage of the West Bank construction since the birth of the development zone in early 2004. Statistics show that during the five-year period from 2004 to 2008, Fujian's total investment in the construction of expressways, national and provincial highways, and harbor and navigation facilities exceeded the aggregate of the previous 50 years. In 2006, the annual investment broke the RMB 20 billion mark, and continued to increase by an annual addition of RMB 10 billion in the following two years. During the five years, Fujian inaugurated more than 1,000 kilometers of expressway and basically formed a road transport network composed of expressways, national and provincial highways, and rural roads complete with stations and terminal facilities. By then the province had basically realized the goal of bringing all its county seats and county-level cities within an hour's reach of the expressway system.

    However, Fujian still lagged behind its coastal counterparts in transportation, in terms of development scale, speed and efficiency, as well as concepts and management mechanism. To meet the development need of the economic zone, the provincial communications department proposed in 2008 the idea of "Great Harbors, Great Passages, and Great Logistics" – an idea based on strategic integration, in accordance with the guidance of the Ministry of Communications and the provincial government.

    The new round of transportation endeavors started with the reshuffling of the management mechanism. In August 2009, the reorganized provincial communications department was officially announced. Apart from taking over the range of services of its predecessor, the new administration is also in charge of urban subway and rail transport systems, taxi operation, development of a comprehensive transport system and modern logistics, and coordination with relevant departments. It supervises the planning and construction of local airports as well.

    The new administration made an audacious commitment to "accomplish the 10-Year Plan within five years" in its newly revised general framework for transportation development, and adjusted accordingly the construction plans for the West Bank Expressway System, the provincial highway network and harbor facilities.

    According to the general plan, between 2009 and 2012 the provincial investment in construction of expressways, national and provincial highways and harbor facilities will be increased at an annual rate of 20 percent, to accomplish a four-year total of RMB 200 billion. The aggregate breaks up into an annual average of RMB 30 billion for expressways, RMB 10 billion for highways and RMB 10 billion for harbors. The province hopes to fulfill an expressway mileage of 5,000 kilometers by 2015, completing the West Bank expressway framework five years ahead of schedule. Before 2012 it will build or renovate 3,000 kilometers of national highways, establish a rural trunk network that links every county and township, and finish 16,000 kilometers of cement village roads. It will also try to complete five comprehensive transportation hubs and depots before 2012 and strengthen construction of harbors, waterways, general-use wharves, and freight and passenger convergence and distribution channels in major port cities like Fuzhou and Xiamen.

    "The strategic elevation of the West Bank Development Zone to the national status has pushed the transportation sector to new heights, requiring us to go beyond ourselves," said Li Dejin, head of the Fujian Provincial Communications Department. In order to live up to the new status and meet the development needs of the West Bank in the years ahead, Li Dejin and his people will concentrate their efforts on realizing the idea of "Great Harbors, Great Passages, and Great Logistics." The harbor integration plan will bring into existence the Fuzhou, Xiamen and Meizhou harbor clusters that feature optimized utilization and sharing of harbor resources. The "Great Passages" include two north-south trunk roads that connect respectively with the Yangtze and Pearl River deltas, and two east-west roads that reach out to central and western China. For the "Great Logistics" goal, the administration will introduce advanced foreign models and experience, promote integration of small local operations, and help create a few big logistics companies to serve as role models and leaders of the industry. Meanwhile, it will also speed up infrastructure construction to smooth the logistics flow both within and out of the province.

A New Chapter of the "Three Links"

    For decades, the Taiwan Straits separated people on its east and west banks, who are closely related geographically, historically and culturally. In the past, locals crossed the Straits to and fro freely, just like they go from one side of a city to another in order to make a living. But then historical and political developments stopped them from doing it any more.

    In 1979, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress put forth the "Three Links" proposal in its open letter to Taiwan compatriots. The letter called for the opening of postal, navigational (sea and air) and commercial links across the Straits and ushered in an initial period of Cross-Straits exchanges between Fujian and Taiwan.

    This historic development pushed the provincial communications department's goal of realizing the three links to the forefront of its agenda. In 1984, it organized related experts to study technical issues impacting the opening of direct sea links, such as the selection of harbors and routes, types of ship, and technical and operational differences on the two banks. The finished report, "The Study of Navigational Regulations and Policies on the Two Banks of the Taiwan Straits," proposed a preliminary plan for direct navigation channels across the Straits, together with solutions to relevant issues.