Yesterday, more attention was brought to the possibility of direct links to China as Taichung Country's Chenlan Temple revealed further details of its plans for a mass pilgrimage to the island of Meizhou(湄洲), claimed to be the birth-place of the goddess Matsu(媽祖).
If approved, the trip will become the first legal direct passage of vessels across the Taiwan Strait since 1949.
Temple officials said they had moved the schedule ahead to mid-July to avoid the peak season for pilgrimages there. Originally the trip was planned for mid-June.
Temple officials said they had applied for government approval on three routes, with distances ranging form 72 nautical miles to 191 nautical miles. All three routes will start from Taichung harbor.
Temple officials said they had organized a joint petition which was signed by 13 independent legislators appealing for government approval.
A growing number of pilgrims have been traveling to Meizhou by sea on chartered boats to cut travel time and expenses, even though such direct transportation is still illegal under Taiwan's current law.
According to government policy, pilgrims must travel to China via a third territory, such as Hong Kong, Macau or Japan.
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