Hundreds of thousands of mainland-based Taiwan businesspeople are having to take a long journey again this Chinese Lunar New Year. Due to Taiwan authorities' decades-long obstruction on direct links, they have to return home via Hong Kong and Macao. Their other choice is to take advantage of shipping links between East China's Fujian Province and Taiwan.

Time is running out for Taiwan residents to arrange their trips home. Many are opting to take one of two sea routes between the mainland and Taiwan because it is a more direct way home. All they need to show to buy a ticket are the required Taiwan ID documents.

During the spring festival peak travel period, 12 ships run 6 days a week between Fujian's Xiamen and Taiwan's Jinmen. Though it takes less than one hour to make the trip, most Taiwan passengers have to transfer at Jinmen to get home. This consumes time and money. Just as in previous years, many would prefer to take direct flights to Taiwan.

A Taiwan traveler said, "A charter flight would make it much easier for us. I am optimistic there will be charter planes in the future. Ideally we can realize the three direct links."

"Political consideration of Taiwan makes it hard to start direct flights. We hope the three direct links can be achieved as soon as possible," another traveler said.

Beijing allowed six airlines from Taiwan to operate 16 indirect charter flights to and from the mainland during last year's Spring Festival period. But even that service is likely withdrawn this year. Beijing says the Taiwan authorities have been reluctant to take any practical steps to facilitate the charter-flight plan for the Spring Festival, which falls on January 22.

It's the mainland's view that Taiwan should lift all transport restrictions and allow direct flights across the 160-kilometre-wide Taiwan Strait. But the authorities on Taiwan will only allow three mini links-a sea service between 2 ports of Fujian Province and 2 islands of Taiwan.

The mini-link started 3 years ago out of the increasing cross-straits contact. Taiwan authorities allow the island's residents to travel by sea from Fjian's Xiamen and Fuzhou to Taiwan's Jinmen and Mazu. From there, the passengers can transfer to flights home.

These arrangements work against the immediate interests of the Taiwan public and business community.

At Xiamen's entry and exit docks, volunteers can be seen helping travellers carry their luggage. And more staff have been rostered on to speed up customs procedures.

According to Chen Zhengqun,an official of Xiamen Entry and Exit Inspection Station, "In previous years, entry and exit from this harbor could not be processed at the same time. But this year, we separated the two sections by using more staff and equipment. This saves the passengers a lot of time going through customs. We are trying our best to provide a better service to the Taiwan passengers."

As many as one million Taiwan businesspeople and their families are estimated to live and work on the mainland and about 300,000 of them return to the island each Spring Festival.

(CCTV.com January 17, 2004)