Hebei begins first direct service to Taiwan

Jumping on the trend of increased cross-straits trade Hebei Province in northern China opened its  first direct cargo route to Taiwan, with a ship loaded with 36,000 tonnes of coal leaving Qinghuadao Port bound for the island across the Taiwan Straits, Seatrade Asia online reports.

The Wuxing 6 cargo ship left Qinhuangdao Port, China's largest coal transfer port, for Taitung and Kaohsiung ports on Tuesday morning, marking the first cargo shipment between Hebei and Taiwan.

The Wuxing 6 belongs to the Qinghuangdao Wuxing Shipping Company and received approval from the mainland's Transport Ministry in April to sail to Taiwan.