11.   Anxious not to lose bargaining leverage, Taiwan wants to open shipping direct links first to foreign-registered vessels transhipping cargoes originating in third countries.

12.   Beijing also wants Taipei to open more direct shipping links.

13.   Because China has threatened to invade Taiwan, the island has been reluctant to allow direct air and shipping links between the two sides.

14.   Bowing to demands by businesspeople, Chen has pledged to launch direct shipping links with China.

15.   Bowing to business pressure, Taiwan proposed the limited shipping links two years ago to skirt its ban on direct shipping.

16.   But full air and shipping links will not open until China renounces the use of force to retake Taiwan, which it considers a rebel province, Chang said.

17.   But despite refusing to recognize each other, Taiwan and China do annual trade worth billions of dollars, and this year they opened virtually direct cargo shipping links.

18.   But Taiwan maintains the shipping links do not constitute direct shipping.

19.   But with trade booming, Taiwanese increasingly want direct air and shipping links with China.

20.   China and Taiwan plan a meeting in Hong Kong later this month to discuss opening direct shipping links, the Transport Ministry reported Friday.