(From L to R) Chen Yunlin, president of the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, Li Shenglin, Chinese minister of communications, Lien Chan, Kuomintang honorary chairman, Zhang Gaoli, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chief of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee, Zheng Wantong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Wang Yi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council (Cabinet), attend the ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between China's mainland and Taiwan in north China's Tianjin port, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

Passengers from southeast China's Taiwan gesture before boarding the plane at the airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 15, 2008. A Shenzhen Airlines flight took off from the Shenzhen Airport for Taiwan at 7:20 Beijing Time (2320 GMT Dec. 14), the first when the Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

Mainland resident Zheng Jian, 81, who was born in southeast China's Taiwan, posts a letter to his Taiwan relatives at the ceremony marking the start of direct postal service between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal service Monday morning.

Tseng Yee-lun (2nd L), a Shenzhen Airlines air hostess from southeast China's Taiwan, gestures as passengers board the plane at the Shenzhen Airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 15, 2008. A Shenzhen Airlines flight took off from the Shenzhen Airport for Taiwan at 7:20 Beijing Time (2320 GMT Dec. 14), the first when the Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning. 

Working staff wave to the plane leaving for southeast China's Taiwan, at the airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 15, 2008. The Shenzhen Airlines flight took off from the Shenzhen Airport for Taiwan at 7:20 Beijing Time (2320 GMT Dec. 14), the first when the Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

A ceremony for the start of direct sea transport between China's mainland and southeast China's Taiwan is held at Mawei Port of in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

Wang Zaixi (R), vice chairman of the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, addresses the ceremony for the start of direct sea transport between China's mainland and Taiwan, at Mawei port in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

A cargo vessel leaves for Mawei port of southeast China's Taiwan, from Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services

A cargo vessel leaves for Keelung Port in southeast China's Taiwan, from Mawei port in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

Wang Fuqing, vice chairman of the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, addresses the ceremony for the start of direct sea transport between China's mainland and southeast China's Taiwan, at Taicang Port in east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

Container ship "Liberty Spirit" to leave for southeast China's Taiwan, is seen at the ceremony for the start of direct sea transport between China's mainland and Taiwan, at Taicang Port in east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

Liu Chao-shiuan (L), head of Taiwan's "Executive Yuan", presents a plaque commemorating the direct sea transport to a representative of the shipping companys at a ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan at Keelung Harbor of southeast China's Taiwan, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal service Monday morning.

People attend a ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan at Keelung Harbor of southeast China's Taiwan, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal service Monday morning.

People perform lion dance at a ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan at Keelung Harbor of southeast China's Taiwan, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal service Monday morning.

Working staff on a freight ship of Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp wave at a ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan at Keelung Harbor of southeast China's Taiwan, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal service Monday morning.

Container ship "Yuanhe" of China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) departs for Kaohsiung Port in southeast China's Taiwan, from Yangshan Deep-water Port in Shanghai, east China, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning.

Freight ships are seen at a ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan at Keelung Harbor of southeast China's Taiwan, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal service Monday morning.

A freight ship leaving for the Chinese mainland receives blessings by being sprayed water at a ceremony marking the start of direct sea transport between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan at Keelung Harbor of southeast China's Taiwan, Dec. 15, 2008. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal service Monday morning.