Taiwan boat calls off trip to China

Quemoy - The first Taiwan vessel allowed to sail directly to China in more than 50 years was forced to turn back yesterday because…

Quemoy - The first Taiwan vessel allowed to sail directly to China in more than 50 years was forced to turn back yesterday because of heavy seas and China's apparent reluctance to give its arch-rival a publicity coup.

The private yacht ferrying more than 50 tourism industry business people from the Taiwan-held frontier island of Quemoy to the Chinese city of Xiamen turned back after sailing for about 15 minutes, passengers said. The trip usually takes two hours.

"Some of the passengers are reporters and the mainland will not agree to let them land," said Mr Yeh Jin-hu, a passenger.

The vessel would have been the first to take advantage of the Taiwan government's decision to permit limited direct travel between the Taiwanese islands and the mainland. Taiwan hopes the move will relieve tensions with China.

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While yesterday's trip was abandoned, sources said an official voyage led by the commissioner of Quemoy county would go ahead today.