Shipping between Mainland China and HKSAR

In 2001, the world situation is unpredictable with many shocking incidents and the world economy and trade is far beyond satisfaction. The shipping in Hong Kong has however sustained considerable development with an increase of cargo volume by 2% to 178.2 million tons and with a slight decrease of container throughput of 1.7% to 17.80 million TEUs, which still ranks the first place in the world. The loaded containers have kept the same level of the previous year to 14.20 million TEUs and the empty containers sustained a dropdown of 6% to 3.8 million TEUs.

The countries and regions with the increased shipment of loaded containers at Hong Kong as compared with the figures in 2000 and 2001 include mainland China (+7%), Malaysia (+1%) and Germany (+1%). Them is a slight change in the loaded containers from Indonesia, Taiwan and the United States of America The countries and regions with the decreased shipments to Hong Kong include Singapore (-14%), Japan (10%), Korea (-8%) and Thailand (-2%).

The countries and regions with the increased shipments of loaded containers from Hong Kong as compared with the figures in the same period of the previous year include Taiwan (+8%), mainland China (+7%) and Japan (+3%) There is a slight change in the loaded containers to Canada. The countries and regions with the greater dropdown of loaded containers from Hong Kong include Singapore (23%) and the Netherlands (-19%), and Germany (-8%), Great Britain (-5%), USA (-3%) and Italy (-1%), with slight dropdown.

In 2001, the voyages made by ocean vessels to Hong Kong have reached the number o137370, a decrease of 1%, but with an increase of 13% in deadweight to 2752 million tonnage. And the number of inland waterway ships calling at Hong Kong has a slight dropdown of 1% to 177390 voyages but with an obvious increase of 13% in deadweight to 64.8 million tonnage.

Hong Kong Cargo Throughput Statistics in 200l

                                                Source: Hong Kong Tai Kund Pao 

Hong Kong Container Throughput Statistics in 2001

 Loaded Container Volume between Mainland China and HK in 2001

                                                                                                                                                 Unit: TEU

China resumed her sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao respectively on July 1st 1997 and December 20th 1999 and the shipping service between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao has been defined as the domestic shipping under special administration. Ships and shipping companies registered in the mainland with the qualifications for international shipping are entitled to carnage of cargo and passengers between the open ports of the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao. Domestic ships and shipping enterprises shall, in case of involvement in the shipping service between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, be subject to approval, and the cross-province or cross-region service between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao by ships of 1000 deadweight tonnage or over shall be subject to the approval of the Ministry of Communications while the non-cross-province or non-cross-region service by ships of less than 1000 deadweight tonnage tie subject to the approval of the competent authorities in charge of transport under the province, municipality directly under the central government or the autonomous region within the jurisdiction of which the related shipping enterprise is located. Ships and shipping companies registered in Hong Kong or Macao are entitled to carry goods between the open ports of the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, but shall, in case of involvement of carriage of passengers there-between, be subject to the approval of the Ministry of Communications. No foreign vessel is allowed to get involved in carriage of cargo or passengers between the open pelts of the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao without the approval of the Ministry of Communications.

Shipping between Mainland China and Taiwan

In 2001, the competent authorities in charge of transport and communications under the Slate Council has paid close attention to the trial direct shipping and made careful preparations for the shipping policies and arrangements for the shipping service between the sides of the Taiwan Strait in order to strengthen administration over the trail direct shipping across the Taiwan Strait and the shipping between both sides via the third port and to standardize the market conduct and market order.

1. Relationship and trade activities between the mainland and Taiwan

The year of 2001 has witnessed new features and new development in the contacts of both sides and exchange and cooperation in the trade, economy and culture through the joint efforts of the people of both sides. Under the unfavorable conditions of the world economy, the economy of the mainland has still kept quick growth, which has given an important impetus to the promotion of exchange between the both sides. In 2001 the investment made by the Taiwan compatriots on the mainland has been greatly increased and the aggregate investment through agreement for over 4100 projects has reached 6900 million US dollars with 3200 million US dollars actually invested, an increase of 36%, 73% and 33% respectively as compared with those in the same period of the previous year, making the highest record since 1995. The indirect trade between the both sides has reached the sum of 32000 million US dollars, an increase of 5.9% as compared with that in the same period of the previous year. The visits made by the Taiwan compatriots to the mainland have totaled 3 million person-time, increased by 10.4% in comparison with that in the same period of the previous year.

2. Trial direct shipping

The trial direct shipping between Fuzhou, Xiamen and Kaohsiung initiated in April 1997 on the principle of "one China, both-way direct shipping, mutual favor and benefit" has been going on smoothly through joint efforts of the shipping circles at both sides. By the end of 2001, the shipping companies at both sides have completed 7302 voyages and carried 1700000 TEU containers. In 2901, 11 shipping companies at both sides have employed 10 ships for the trial direct shipping between Fuzhou, Xiamen and Kaohsiung and the 10 ships have completed 1,881 voyages with the shipping volume of 488238 TEU containers, an increase of 15% as compared with that in the same period of the previous year, including 1158 voyages made by the mainland shipping companies with the shipping volume of 333627 TEU containers, an increase of 10%, and 653 voyages made by the Taiwan shipping companies with the shipping volume of 154611 TEU containers, an increase of 18.5% as compared with that of the previous year. Most of the shipping companies have got benefited from the trial direct shipping service.

Although the trial direct shipping has been operated for 5 years, the direct shipping service is only available to the cargo for transshipment between both sides at certain limited ports due to the policy of "no going through the customs, no coming across the boundary" made by the Taiwan authorities. Therefore the cargo may reach the destination on both sides only through a third place and the direct shipping has not yet realized in fact. We sincerely hope the Taiwan authorities should be obedient to the situations and the popular will, return to the One China principle, recognize the 9.2 Mutual Understanding and eliminate all kinds of impracticable limitations so as to realize the direct shipping to the fullest extent.

Container volume of TRIAL DIRECT SHIPPING

Across Taiwan Strait from 1997--2001

                                                                                                                             Unit: TEU

3. Direct Shipping between Fujian and Jinmen and Mazu

The Taiwan authorities passed the so-called draft of "Trial Implementation of Shipping between Jinmen, Mazu and the Mainland" under the pressure of the public and for development of outsourcing economy on December 132000, which allows the so-called "three small direct links of mail, trade and transport" between Jinmen, Mazu and Fujian coastal regions. Although the "three small direct links of mail, trade and transport" could not achieve the goal of overall and direct transaction of trade, mail and transport, nor satisfy the requirements for traveling of people and exchange of trade and economy at the both sides, yet we have, in consideration of the daily life and demand for traveling by the people on the Jinmen and Mazu islands, taken active measures in the direct shipping between the coastal cities and Jinmen and Mazu. In 2001, we have accommodated 180 voyages and received visitors of 24000 parson/time, which has facilitated visits to the relatives and friends on the mainland by the compatriots from Jinmen and Mazu islands and the development of trade and economy and let them get benefited from the direct shipping and feel personally the sincerity and enthusiasm of the Chinese Government to urge the "three direct links of mail trade and transport" between the both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The shipping administration across the Taiwan Strait falls into the category of domestic shipping under special administration and the market admission control and permit system are applicable to the sea transport of cargo and passenger between the mainland China and Taiwan regions (hereinafter referred to as the Both-side Shipping). Shipping companies or their solely funded subsidiary companies registered on the mainland or in the Taiwan regions with the mainland capital, Taiwan capital or joint capital of the mainland and Taiwan are entitled to undertake the both-side shipping services with the approval of the Ministry of Communications. No foreign shipping company is allowed to get involved in the sea transport of cargo or passenger between the sides of the Taiwan Strait either single way or both ways.

Shipping companies or their subsidiary companies registered in the Taiwan regions shall, in case of involvement in the both-side shipping, entrust the shipping agency on the mainland to submit the application for that purpose, which shall, after verification by the competent authorities in charge of transport under the province, municipality directly under the Central Government or autonomous regions within the jurisdiction of which the shipping agency is located, be subject to the approval of the Ministry of Communications. Shipping companies or their subsidiary companies registered on the mainland shall, in case of involvement in the both-side shipping, be subject to the approval of the Ministry of Communications with the application verified by the competent authorities in charge of transport under the province, municipality directly under the Central Government or autonomous regions within the jurisdiction of which such shipping companies or subsidiary companies are located. Super large shipping companies or their subsidiary companies under the administration of the departments under the State Council may submit their application directly to the Ministry of Communications for approval.

Under the principle of "One China", the mainland-funded or Taiwan-funded shipping companies may, with their own vessels or convenient flag vessels under their management, apply for indirect container liner transport with the port of shipment or part of destination situated at either side of the Taiwan Strait (hereinafter referred to as 'both sides via the third part line"). Ships employed on the 'both sides via the third port line" are only allowed to carry the both-side trade goods, but riot the goods to be imparted by the mainland through the port in Taiwan. Shipping companies invested by both sides or international container trunk vessels operated by foreign shipping companies may call at the ports at path sides during the same voyage, but are not allowed to carry the goods along the coast of the mainland, including the foreign trade goods imparted by one side but through transshipment at the other.