Chinese mainland will exert a more relaxed policy on part of small-scale spot trade with Taiwan to promote economic and trade exchanges on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The new policy will become effective on Oct. 1 this year, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

The small-scale trade, initiated in 1993, is the only type of trade in the form of direct shipping between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. small-scale trade with Taiwan is an import supplement of economic exchange across the Taiwan Straits and plays an active role in communications between the two sides.

According to the new policy, restrictions will be lifted on the tonnage and trade volume of ships from Taiwan, the MOC and GAC announced in a joint circular.

The first batch of pilot ports includes Shenjiamen of Zhoushan City and XiangshanShipu of Ningbo City in Zhejiang Province; Maweiof Fuzhou City and Shijinggang of Quanzhou City in neighboring Fujian Province; and Huizhou in southern Guangdong Province.

The business scope of small-scale companies will be approved by commercial departments in Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces and cities specially designated in the state plan.