Pingtan to pioneer cross-Strait 'common market' during 15th Five-Year Plan period

The Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone in East China's Fujian province is set to accelerate the development of a pioneering "common market" between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), officials said recently.

Building on the momentum of the past five years, the zone aims to become a central hub for market access, a pilot area for standard alignment, and a premier gateway for the circulation of goods across the Taiwan Strait, officials said.

"We will maximize the relaxation of access restrictions for Taiwan capital in key sectors such as trade, investment and information services," said Wen Xuelin, deputy secretary of the Party Working Committee of the zone.

A key focus will be the expansion of mutual recognition for professional qualifications, enterprise credentials and product certifications. This initiative aims to drive the development and parallel application of common standards in industries such as agriculture and construction.

To facilitate trade, Pingtan plans to upgrade its small-commodity trading market, allowing a wider variety of Taiwan products to be sold, positioning Pingtan as the most convenient and preferred channel for Taiwan goods entering the mainland market.

The ambitious plans for the next five years follow a period of growth during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), during which trade with Taiwan saw an average annual increase of 21.7 percent. The total trade volume at the port rose from 9.1 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) in 2020 to approximately 15 billion yuan in 2025.

Huang Jianbo, director of the Pingtan Management Committee, noted that the zone has already become one of the mainland's largest entry points for Taiwan's agricultural and fishery products, with its cross-border e-commerce volume ranking among the nation's top tier.

Beyond trade, Pingtan is fostering a livable and business-friendly environment. The zone established the Cross-Strait Professional Qualification Integrated Service Center, which has issued nearly 6,000 certificates recognized across multiple provinces.

In addition, innovative social measures have also been introduced, including the mutual recognition of Taiwan resident permits and travel passes, and the establishment of the mainland's only cross-Strait arbitration center. Such efforts are designed to help Taiwan compatriots integrate more deeply into local life and social governance.