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Forestry plan may benefit both sides of Strait

By Hu Meidong and Yang Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-03-10 18:51

FUJIAN -?Pingtan, the fifth largest island in China and Fujian's largest, is the closest county to Taiwan. Pingtan may become a good opportunity for Taiwan citizens based on the past experience of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao.

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"We need to increase the investment on the construction of forestry in Pingtan and make it an intermediate station between mainland China and Taiwan. The development orientation of Pingtan is to build a common homeland for people on both sides so as to strengthen cross-straits exchanges and cooperation," said Gong Qinggai, representative of NPC (National People's Congress) and secretary of the CPC Working Committee.

Currently, the overall green level is not high in Pingtan's comprehensive experimental zone. According to investigation statistics, the existing desertified land area in the zone is 120,000 mu, which lead to great difficulties in forestation efforts.

Meanwhile, the construction level of existing shelter-forest in Pingtan is far beyond the requirement of livable ecological island. And because of lack of funds, the young trees can't obtain timely nursing, which can lead to poor forest effects.

"The central government should lift the standards of shelter-forest construction in Pingtan, supporting about 60% subsidies according to the actual investment proportion," Gong added.

In the first year of this 12th Five-Year Plan, Pingtan also will intensify wharf construction. An international shipping line and direct flights across the Taiwan straits have been included in the blueprint by the Ministry of Transport. Fishing industry, tunnel construction, marine transportation and tourism are conventional industries in Pingtan, and they will also benefit Fujian in the next few years.