Mainland is planning, promoting construction of cross-Strait transport infrastructure: spokesperson

BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is planning and promoting the construction of transport infrastructure across the Taiwan Strait, said a Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday.

The Pingtan section of a cross-sea road-rail bridge has opened to traffic in east China's Fujian Province, said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a press conference.

In addition, relevant parties of Fujian have completed the preliminary technical planning of the bridges linking the province with Kinmen and Matsu, according to Zhu.

The general development plan for the national transport network jointly released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council earlier this year included a plan to build a branch line connecting Fujian's provincial capital Fuzhou with Taipei, Zhu added.

"An early establishment of a more convenient and unobstructed transport network between the two sides of the Strait will provide better transport resources and services for the benefit of compatriots on both sides," Zhu noted.