It's a concept that has been on the table for around 30 years. But now it's going to be a reality. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan have agreed to allow direct air and sea transport links through the Taiwan Straits, along with direct mail links as well. The existing practice has been to go through a third place, such as Hong Kong, which has added significant travel time between the mainland and Taiwan. The move is expected to save millions of dollars every year in transport costs, and is considered a significant breakthrough in cross-Straits relations. So what exactly will this move mean for both the mainland and Taiwan?

Ni hao, you're listening to   People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. In this edition of the show we're talking about cross-Straits transportation and mail. So let's get started.

(Music)

First we'll hear from Victor Gao, Director of the China National Association of International Studies.

(Dialogue with Gao)

We're going to take a short break. When we come back we'll hear from a pair of experts on cross-Straits relations.

(Promo)

Ni hao, you're listening to People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. I'm Paul James in Beijing. In this edition of the show we're talking about the move by the mainland and Taiwan to allow direct air, sea and mail links across the Taiwan Straits. For more on this we're joined on the line now by Professor Yao Xianguo, Dean of the College of Public Administration at Zhejiang University and a counselor with the Chinese Mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits.

(Dialogue with Yao)

Now let's hear from another mainland expert on Taiwan affairs. Xu Shiquan is the Executive Vice President of the National Society of Taiwan Studies.

(Dialogue with Xu)

That's all the time we have for this edition of People In the Know, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. Questions or comments for us can be sent to people@cri.com.cn. For Executive Director Zhao Yang and Producers Xu Yang and Chen Mo, I'm Paul James in Beijing. We'll talk to you tomorrow.