China is opening five more ports for direct shipping services with Taiwan, a mainland transport official has been quoted saying.

The ports are in the provinces of Anhui, Shandong and Zhejiang, said Song Dexing, director of the Water Transport Department with the Ministry of Transport.

That brings the total number of mainland Chinese ports cleared for direct shipping services with Taiwan to 68.

Under last year's bilateral agreement to allow cross-strait shipping, the mainland will open 63 ports to Taiwanese vessels while Taiwan will open 11.

According to the Xinhua news agency, the two nations might increase the number of ports based on a “developing situation”.

The announcement that China is opening five more mainland ports for direct links with Taiwan has come on the heels of reports that Kaohsiung, Taiwan's biggest port, is attracting investment interest from three major Chinese shipping firms. (See story link)

China Cosco, China Shipping Container Lines Co Ltd and China Merchants Group plan to invest in Kaohsiung, according to Reuters.

''Cosco's plans are currently in the works right now. They will have a more specific investment plan by the end of next year,'' Shieh Ming-hui, director-general of the Kaohsiung Harbour Bureau, told the news service.

Improved relations between China and Taiwan has renewed Chinese interest in Taiwanese ports and given rise to potential investment plans, according to Shieh.

Shipping lines previously had to make costly detours through third-party countries or regions to get cargo from one side to the other, Shieh said.