A total of 580 boxes of Taiwan-grown fruits arrive at the Aoqian Passenger Terminal in Pingtan, Fujian province, on Nov 15.

A total of 580 boxes of Taiwan-grown fruits arrived at the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, east China's Fujian province, on Nov 15 in order to be displayed at a trade expo.

The shipment was organized following the approval of the nation's top quality supervision watchdog, and it marks the first time that Pingtan has imported fruits from Taiwan.

The boxes included 11 different kinds of fruits and weighed a total of 4,980 kilograms, and the fruits are expected to be displayed at the first Pingtan-Taiwan Commodities Trade Expo, which is taking place from Nov 18 to 24, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China (AQSIQ).

Chen Hui, head of the Pingtan branch of the Fujian Provincial Quality Supervision and Quarantine Bureau, said that it usually takes about two months for imported goods to go through AQSIQ's review and approval processes, but this shipment only took about four days, a significant outcome and a symbol of AQSIQ's tremendous support for Pingtan's opening up and development.

The bureau ordered Pingtan's quality inspectors to carry out a thorough and careful quality and quarantine examination of the fruits, and the bureau added extra staff to make sure the work went smoothly.

More than 1,000 products from Taiwan are being exhibited at the trade expo which is being held in an area of 20,000 sq meters at a newly-built fruit wholesale market that is open to Taiwan.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Niva Whyman