Wang Yi: starting on October 20th, there will be more cities where Taiwan residents traveling to the mainland can apply for Mainland Travel Permits.

The forum aims to facilitate exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. Under the new measures, Chinese mainland residents with permits to travel to Taiwan will be able to fly via the islands of Jinmen, Mazu and Penghu. Currently, mainland residents can only reach Taiwan by taking flights via Hong Kong or Macao... or direct charter flights on the weekends.

Wang Yi said starting on October 20th, there will be more cities where Taiwan residents traveling to the mainland can apply for Mainland Travel Permits, which are valid for five years. Furthermore, starting on September 25th, each holder of a new MTP will have a unique lifetime permit number.

Wang said these measures will further ease cross-strait exchanges. Attendees at the forum also discussed economic cooperation between Taiwan and the mainland. Wang Yi expressed the hope that both sides will do more to establish direct cross-strait links for mail, trade and transportation as early as possible.

(CCTV September 9, 2008)