The mainland province of Fujian is still willing to provide water to drought-stricken areas in Taiwan after a shipment of 2,300 tons of running water to Mazu on May 4, a central government official said in Beijing Tuesday.
Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, reiterated that although Fujian is also partly hit by drought, the province has been ready to ship untreated or tap water to Taiwan's Jinmen (Quemoy), Mazu and Penghu islands.
The mainland welcomes ships from Taiwan to come for water and is ready to send ships for supplying water to Taiwan, Chen said while answering reporters' question about the mainland's water supply to Taiwan.
"We're seriously concerned about the continued drought in Taiwan and are willing to do our best to help the Taiwan compatriots to overcome the difficulties," said Chen.
If the Taiwan authorities agree, Fujian engineers are available to work with their colleagues in Jinmen, Mazu and Penghu on long-term water supplies, he said.
Chen also answered a question about the early realization of the "Three Direct Links" across the Taiwan Straits in trade, transportation and postal services.
Recently many leading Taiwanese industrialists have urged the Taiwan authorities to work to establish the "Three Direct Links" with the mainland as early as possible, which Chen said the mainland appreciates.
Chen said the mainland has been making efforts for the "Three Direct Links" for years and has repeatedly made clear its basic position on this matter.
Because the obstacles created by the Taiwan authorities, the links have not been established today.
With the two sides of the Taiwan Straits joining the World Trade Organization, they will gradually open their markets. The lack of the "Three Direct Links" is not only unfavorable to economic development across the Straits, it will also result in a increase in the costs of Taiwan businesses operating on the mainland, weakening their competitiveness.
Chen said the majority of Taiwanese support the idea of direct links and the Taiwan authorities have made clear their position to support it.
It is the hope of the mainland that this time the Taiwan authorities will not once again engage in the "election tactics" of saying one thing and doing another, Chen said.
(China Daily May 22, 2002)
