31.   In early July, it suspended negotiations with Taiwan on direct shipping, investment guarantees and other links and scuttled discussions of summit meetings in Beijing and Taiwan.

32.   Newspapers quoted officials as saying the government fears China will try to use the trade conference to put pressure on Taiwan to end its ban on direct shipping.

33.   On Saturday, a Chinese-owned freighter arrived at Kaohsiung and broke the freeze on direct shipping.

34.   Taiwan also has balked at accepting outright direct shipping links, producing its own, more restrictive blueprint.

35.   Taiwanese officials hope the opening of direct shipping will boost trade between the two sides, the paper said.

36.   There are no direct shipping or aviation links between China and Taiwan.

37.   Under an agreement to permit limited direct shipping, China has opened up links between Xiamen and Fuzhou, both in Fujian province, and Kaohsiung.

38.   In this stage, offshore shipping and air cargo zones will be set up to bypass the current ban on direct shipping and air links with China.

39.   The Taiwanese cabinet in May approved an offshore shipping zone scheme which would help transporters get around a ban on direct shipping across the Taiwan Strait to the mainland.

40.   Xiamen and Fuzhou are the two mainland ports expected to open for direct shipping.