The Haixia ship, the first cross-Straits direct ferry connecting the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Haixia ship, the first cross-Straits direct ferry connecting the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, began selling duty-free merchandise recently, reported the Pingtan Times on Dec 11.

After opening an RMB-to-NTD exchange service on the ship in November, the Haixia now provides passengers with duty-free Taiwan specialties on board, including rice hamburgers and highland Oolong tea.

"I came on a business trip so I don't have time to buy souvenirs. But now I can buy them on the ship and the price is even lower. That's very convenient for passengers," said a Henan passenger surnamed Zheng.

In addition to food and beverages, the Haixia also set up a cosmetics stand, selling duty-free cosmetics at prices 15 percent lower than in Taiwan.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Michael Thai