The Fujian Transportation Department will increase its support for transport development in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone (PCPZ) in a comprehensive way, officials said on Dec 12.

The next five years will be a pivotal period for building an integrated road and set transportation network in Pingtan. And the Department will provide financial and technology assistance as well as make reward policies to encourage construction of key projects, said Zhang Zhaomin, head of the Department.

Pingtan plans to complete investment of 50 billion yuan on construction of its traffic infrastructure by 2018 which will focus on its road network, port, new transport methods and integration of urban and rural traffic systems. It is notable that Pingtan will build two major channels for vehicles entering and exiting the island city and build a modern port area with nine berths, sources said.

In the past several years Pingtan has made big strides in its traffic system, which was praised by Chinese President Xi Jinping during an inspection to Pingtan in early November. But it still faces difficult tasks of transport construction in order to become a “Common Homeland” for cross-Straits people by 2020, said Li Dejin, director of PCPZ’s administrative committee.

Pingtan hopes the provincial transport authority will step up support for key traffic projects in Pingtan, especially in the road network upgrade and construction of traffic facilities in islets. Pingtan is also in dire need of more professionals in these fields, he added.