Direct air and sea transport to improve postal services between China and Taiwan

Direct shipping will help the two sides reduce shipping time and transportation costs.

Direct shipping will help the two sides reduce shipping time by 110,000 hours and transportation costs by USD $100m US each year.

For the first time since 1949, the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will begin direct air, sea transport and postal services.

Under the agreement of direct air transport, the two sides agreed to launch a cargo charter flight service between two mainland terminals, Pudong in Shanghai and Guangzhou airports, and two Taiwan terminals, Taoyuan and Kaohsiung.

There will be 60 return cargo flights per month, evenly divided between mainland and Taiwan airline companies.

Meanwhile, mail services including letters and parcels, express mail services and postal remittances, will also be available across the strait.

The mainland has been the largest trading partner of Taiwan since 2003, with annual trading volume surpassing USD $1bn.