Province 'a gateway' for overseas investors to tap mainland markets

The Chinese leadership has attached great importance to Fujian, given the geographical advantages conferred on the province by its proximity to Taiwan, said Sun Chunlan, Party chief of the East China province.

To bring the advantages of the province to full display, the central government implemented several preferential policies in 2011, including the Development Outline for the Western Straits Economic Zone and the Overall Plan for the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone.

Pingtan, an island not far from the provincial capital of Fuzhou, has "made great achievements in opening up to residents of Taiwan and attracting investment from Taiwan over the past year thanks to the 28 preferential policies", Sun said at this year's Straits Forum in Xiamen earlier this year.