Leading business people in Taiwan have voiced the hope that the Taiwan authorities can realize "three direct links" as soon as possible when Ma Ying-jeou takes office as the new leader of the region.

Ma, the candidate representing Taiwan's Kuomintang and promising to expand business ties and reinstate direct transport and postal links with the Chinese mainland, won the island's leadership election on Saturday.

The "three direct links" refer to direct trade, transport and mail services across the Taiwan Straits.

The Taiwan authorities should let enterprises in Taiwan embrace the business opportunities in the mainland and the "three direct links" are an urgent issue, said Chi Mei Corporation President Ho Jau-yang.

Taiwan should speed up the realization of "three direct links" and let mainland tourists travel to Taiwan as soon as possible, said Chairman of the E United Group Lin I-Shou.

The Taiwan authorities should allow Taiwan's financial institutions to do business in the mainland, said Zhang Han-wen, chairman of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2008)