Yang Chuantang, transport minister, and Su Shulin, governor of Fujian province, visited Pingtan on May 10 and 11 to conduct a survey on Pingtan's comprehensive transportation system construction.

Two bridges across the Pingtan Strait are under construction. One is an auxiliary bridge for the Haixia Bridge linking Pingtan and Fuqing that is expected to go into use this year. The other links Pingtan and Fuzhou. Yang said the projects are of great significance to Pingtan's development and said that to guarantee quality is the premise in the bridge construction.

During his visit to the Haixia, a cross-Straits passenger ferry sailing between Pingtan and Taichung in Taiwan, Yang said authorities should pay attention to enhance services, market cultivation and marine safety. He also said the government should subsidize the ferry's operation at the beginning.

Yang also praised the construction of Huandao (Island Ring) Road, Tanxi Boulevard and the Aoqian passenger dock.

The development of the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone is pioneering but tough, said Yang, who pledged that the Transport Ministry will continue to support Pingtan's comprehensive transportation system to make it a cross-Straits logistics hub and a platform for international trade.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Michael Thai