Premier Su Tseng-chang (
Su had planned to make a celebratory announcement of the policy adjustment from Kinmen, but was forced to cancel his symbolic speech there when bad weather left him stranded at Taipei's Songshan Airport.
The government allows postal, cargo and personal transport via sea links between Kinmen and Xiamen, as well as Matsu and Fuzhou under the "small three links." Regulations restrict the exchanges to residents of Kinmen and Matsu, traveling in a group with a minimum of 10 people.
However, Su announced that starting next Monday, the government will suspend the minimum group requirement -- permitting individuals to travel alone -- and will add a new shipping route between Kinmen and Quanzhou on June 1.
"This idea came from Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] Legislator Tsao Erh-chang (
In addition, people who are registered residents of Kinmen or Matsu for at least six months will also be allowed to use the small three links to travel to and from China accompanied by dependents and relatives who do not live on the islands.
Taiwanese businesspeople with operations in China, veterans who were born in Fujian Province or who have Fujianese ancestry and Fujian residents married to Taiwanese may also use the small three links.
The small three links were implemented on Jan. 1, 2001. In the first year, approximately 25,000 people traveled using the links. That number has climbed steadily, and last year 555,000 travelers had taken advantage of the links to travel to China.
Su also extended an invitation to the Chinese government to participate in search-and-rescue drills in the area.
Su said the two governments should be able to cooperate more effectively during such operations to ensure the safety of passengers who travel between Taiwan and China by sea.
"If they [Chinese rescuers] and we are familiar with the drills, we will be able to help whoever needs help at the first instance, and could save a lot of lives should an accident take place," Su said.
"We believe that the relationship between Taiwan and China should be to help each other instead of fight each other," he said. "I must say, these new decisions were the results of our brainstorming instead of impromptu statements."
Su said that President Chen Shui-bian (
The premier was planning to lead a group of 45 reporters to land on Kinmen and make his announcements there. However, the continuous heavy rain forced the air force to cancel the flight. Su then organized a press conference at the Songshan air base.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in
RSS