China's Ministry of Transport said yesterday foreign companies, organizations and individuals will be prohibited from entering the irregularly scheduled maritime cargo transport business across the Taiwan Strait beginning next year.
The ministry said the direct shipment of goods by sea will be carried out by enterprises in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.
The move aims to implement an agreement between the mainland and Taiwan on direct maritime shipments, according to the statement.
The new arrangement will benefit the shipping industry across the Taiwan Strait and help promote a sound development of the industry, it said.
After the mainland and Taiwan established the direct links of post, trade and transport in 2008, some foreign shipping companies were given special licenses to transport chemical products via a third place.
