A newly launched shuttle boat service between islands in Sansha, China's southernmost city in Hainan Province and home to numerous islands and reefs, has effectively improved transportation convenience for local residents.
Sansha officially began operating shuttle boats between Yongxing Island and Zhaoshu Island on Tuesday.
This new inter-island traffic route has greatly benefited Wu Chunlin, a project manager of the meteorological department at Haikou Hailyu Construction Engineering Installation Co., Ltd.
Now, he can take a boat from Yongxing to Zhaoshu Island to reach the observation station there in time to measure the size of railings that were blown down by a previous typhoon, ensuring it gets repaired quickly.
"As long as something comes up, upon receiving the report, I can head out to sea immediately," said Wu.
Additionally, when sea conditions permit and the boats are safe to operate, at least two round-trip sailings will be arranged between Yongxing and Zhaoshu per day. If the number of registered passengers exceeds the boat's capacity, more trips will be added based on available resources and actual demand.
"We have arranged eight crew members and three speedboats in the early stage to ensure efficient and safe transport. We are also preparing more transportation routes," said Zhang Tianxue, head of shipping team at Sansha Transportation Investment Development Co., Ltd.
By making residents' travel easier and more efficient, the enhanced boat service also contributes to the urban development of Sansha.
Newly launched inter-island transport in Hainan benefits locals
A group of 30 young people from Taiwan, organized by the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, have recently attended a series of Confucian cultural events in east China's Shandong Province, contributing to strengthening communication between young people from the mainland and Taiwan, and helping promote cross-Strait relations.
On Monday, the 2025 Cross-Strait Confucius Cultural Spring Gathering opened in Qufu City of Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius. The youth delegation, along with Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, attended the launch ceremony.
On Tuesday morning, the delegation watched a Confucius memorial ceremony at the city's Temple of Confucius, where they offered floral baskets and recited classical texts to honor the ancient Chinese philosopher.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) was ancient China’s most famous teacher, philosopher and political theorist, whose ideas have profoundly influenced the civilizations of China and other East Asian countries.
Kung Tsui-chang, a direct 79th-generation descendant of Confucius from Taiwan who also traveled with the youth delegation, expressed his hope that similar cultural exchanges would help strengthen ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"The youths from Taiwan and the mainland performed the rituals and played the ritual music together. This cultural resonance transcends language and is the most vivid explanation of our shared cultural root. I believe that by sustained cultural dialogue, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, while jointly safeguarding the common cultural root, will enhance mutual understanding, build consensus, and inject more positive energy into cross-Strait peace and national rejuvenation," said Kung, also president of the Confucius Foundation.
During their stay in Shandong, the delegation also participated in other exchange activities in the cities of Tai'an, Qingdao, Zaozhuang, and Jinan.
Taiwan's youth delegation attends Confucian cultural events in mainland
