Direct shipping between the Chinese port city Xiamen to Jinmen and Mazu islands in the Taiwan region has been resumed after a suspension of more than two months because of SARS.
The direct services between Xiamen and the two islands in Taiwan were suspended in April to cut off the spread of SARS between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan region. The full resumption of passenger and cargo shipping enables relatives living on opposite sides of the strait to visit each other and revitalizes the cross-Strait trade ties.
But people from the Chinese mainland are still required to fill out health declarations and be temperature-checked upon entering the two islands.
(CCTV July 17, 2003)
