CHINA plans to build an important new port complex close to Taiwan, its Minister of Communications has announced at a recent sea transport forum in Tianjin.
The complex, to be built around Xiamen in Fujian province, will be one of two new port clusters, with another scheduled to be built in Hainan and southern Guangdong province, the minister, Li Shenglin, told the China Daily in a special interview.
These two clusters will be in addition to existing ones around Shanghai, Shenzhen and Tianjin.
The minister was quoted as saying that the Xiamen port was in preparation for "mainland-Taiwan free trade relations". Taiwan currently bans direct shipping links with the mainland.
The port expansion plan, which involves building ports in Xiamen, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Putian and Zhangzhou, is part of a "Western Shore Economic Zone" planned for the Taiwan Strait.
The other port project will link Zhanjiang and Fangcheng in Guangdong with Haikou, the capital of Hainan island, to form a container transportation system. The facilities will also be used to import and reserve crude oil and natural gas, as well as to handle containers and mineral resources.