THE import and export volume between Qingdao and Taiwan reached US$334 million in the first quarter, increasing by 46.5 percent year on year. There were eight projects with total contracted capital of US$65.18 million invested by Taiwan in the first three months.

    There are 20 flights between Qingdao and Taiwan per week, which was the most in the province. At present, there are more than 1,000 Taiwan companies with more than 3,300 businessmen from Taiwan in the city.

    Qingdao is also one of the cities with a high proportion of emigrants to Taiwan. In 1949, there were about 66,000 people who moved to Taiwan from Qingdao, which was the second-highest after Shanghai. Since 1987, the city has approved 2,216 projects from Taiwan with total investment of US$9.14 billion.

    Cooperation between Taiwan and Qingdao has reached a new level since direct flights between the two areas opened Dec. 26, 2008. At present, there are four airlines opening flights between the two areas and Qingdao is also the only city in North China which has direct flights to Kaohsiung. About 49,000 Taiwanese visited Qingdao last year, increasing by 19.8 percent compared with the same period in 2009.

    The city government also invited 1,049 Taiwanese to the city with a delegation, while about 1,178 people in Qingdao went to Taiwan for visits and research through government and business delegations last year.

    More cooperation with Taiwan has also helped the city improve its services to Taiwan companies.

    (Wang Yuanyuan, Yang Xiaoxing)