As the closest city to Taiwan on the mainland, Pingtan has been actively promoting in-depth economic and cultural exchanges with Taiwan over recent years and it appears to be paying dividends.

"It is very convenient for me to commute between Pingtan and Taiwan," Xue Qingde, a Taiwan resident who has run a business in Pingtan for sixteen years told a reporter, "I am able to get home to Taichung by noon if I embark on a ferry from Pingtan at nine o’clock in the morning."

As of Aug, 2016, a total of 517.7 thousand passengers have travelled between Pingtan and Taiwan by taking high-speed roll-on/roll-off passenger ferries.

Pingtan has also made efforts to streamline the procedure for Taiwan residents to apply for a mainland travel permit.

Zhang Shufu, a Taiwan businessman who applied for his Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents last July, said it took him about seven workdays to receive the credit card sized permit.

Additionally, a sea-air combined transportation route connecting Pingtan and Taipei was officially launched at the beginning of Nov 2016. Cargo ferries will commute between Pingtan and Taipei each week in accordance with five schedules.

A sea-air combined transportation route connecting Pingtan and Taipei has officially been launched at the beginning of Nov, this year. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Liu Chunsheng, deputy director of Pingtan Customs, said it shall tremendously improve the speed of cross-Straits cargo delivery. "Purchasers are able to receive packages 72 hours after placing orders."

Pingtan has gradually become a hotspot for Taiwan residents to start businesses or seek employment as a result of the great support from the local government.

Pingtan-Taiwan Commodity Duty-free Market, currently known as Aoqian Taiwan-style Town, currently accommodates a total of 266 stores, including 14 Taiwan city-themed pavilions, 226 Taiwan brand flagship stores and other featured Taiwan stores since it was put into use in June, 2014.

A bird's eye view of Aoqian Taiwan Town in Pingtan, Fujian province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Lin Zhiyuan, an 80 year old Taiwan resident who is running a store in the market selling creative cultural products manufactured in Ali Mountain, Taiwan, said, “The cheap rent here greatly decreased my startup costs for the initial stage of my business.”

Since beginning operations in Aug of last year, Taiwan Innovation Park, a national business incubator, has accommodated a total of 171 companies in various industries, including biological sciences and technology, health management, e-commerce, creative culture and tourism.

Taiwan Innovation Park, a national business incubator in Pingtan, Fujian province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Meng Xianting, general director of the Fujian Cross- Straits Jinqiao Human Resources Co, a Taiwan-funded human resource agency which settled in the innovation park on its opening day, said the company has organized for Taiwan youth to visit Pingtan several times and has helped more than 2,000 Taiwan residents go through occupational skill appraisals on the mainland.

"I hope more Taiwan youth could get to know Pingtan and settle in the city with our efforts," Meng added.

Currently, there are nearly 2,000 Taiwan people living in Pingtan. 300 Taiwan businessmen have purchased properties and over 200 Taiwan students are currently pursuing education in the city.

As of Aug, this year, a total of 718 Taiwan companies have settled in Pingtan with the investment reaching 4.5 billion US dollars in total.