Taiwan News
Date: 2016-10-18
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Oct. 18 (CNA) Premier Lin Chuan said on Tuesday that he will instruct the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to examine difficulties facing direct transport links from Taiwan’s outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu to Fujian province in China — commonly known as the three mini links — and propose countermeasures.

“If possible, we hope the service will keep running,” the premier said at a legislative question-and answer session.

Lin was responding to questions from Legislator Chen Hsueh-Sheng of the opposition Kuomintang, who said that while the Kinmen- Xiamen route remains profitable, two other routes — Kinmen-Quanzhou and Matsu-Mawei — are making losses because of insufficient passengers. According to Chen, the two ferry companies operating the Matsu-Mawei route are considering terminating the service.

Given cross-strait relations have cooled since the new administration of Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party took office, Chen asked whether ending the service would have any political implications.     [FULL  STORY]