Undersea tunnel across the Taiwan Straits technologically ready: NPC deputy

[JSCh]

Undersea tunnel across the Taiwan Straits technologically ready: NPC deputy
By Huang Jin (People's Daily Online) 14:10, March 07, 2016

Zhang Zhaomin, Director of FTA of Pingtan county in Fujian province and deputy to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), told media in Beijing that the undersea tunnel project of Beijing-Taipei Expressway is technologically ready to proceed. The realization of the project depends on the decision of Taiwan.

According to Zhang, who was just transferred from the Fujian Provincial Transportation Department to Pingtan at the end of last year, the Beijing–Taipei Expressway is planned as an extension line of the Beijing–Fuzhou Expressway. By now, most parts of the Beijing–Fuzhou Expressway are already open to traffic.

Zhang said that the segment of the expressway connecting to Taiwan is planned as an undersea tunnel. Experts tend to build a 126-kilometer-long tunnel from Pingtan to Taipei. Technical feasibility studies have been carried out on both sides over the past four years. Now experts have a good grasp of the seabed and its geological conditions.

Zhang said that Pingtan is the closest place to Taiwan on the mainland. Last year, high-speed ro-ro ships transported around 120,000 passengers across the strait. About 200,000 packages entered or exited Taiwan through Pingtan.

Last year, Pingtan launched the Taiwan–Pingtan–Europe sea-rail combined transport project. This year, the county will continue to promote cross-strait direct flights and the combined transport project.

 

[JSCh]

China’s plan to build world’s longest rail tunnel – from Pingtan to Taipei – is part of Xi Jinping’s long-term strategy on Taiwan: analysts | South China Morning Post
Minnie Chan in Beijing

• PUBLISHED : Monday, 07 March, 2016, 12:21am
• UPDATED : Monday, 07 March, 2016, 4:37pm

Beijing has included a cross-strait high-speed rail network in its new five-year plan. Photo: Xinhua​

Beijing’s inclusion of cross-strait high-speed rail network in its new five-year plan reflects President Xi Jinping’s long-term strategy on Taiwan, analysts said on Sunday.

The 126km line from Pingtan – a pilot free-trade zone area set up by Beijing in Fujian province in 2013 to boost trade with Taiwan – to Taipei would be the world’s longest rail tunnel if the proposal is realised.

According to the 13th five-year plan from 2016 to 2020, the project is scheduled to be completed in 2030.

“The Pingtan-Taipei section is part of the Beijing-Taipei high-speed rail line that has been studied for more than a decade. The mainland part has been completed while the Taiwan part is awaiting Taiwan’s approval,” Pingtan Experimental Development Zone head Zhang Zhaomin said at a National People’s Congress panel discussion yesterday.

“There is no technical barrier to the cross-strait rail line. We have gathered advice from experts cross the Taiwan Strait and they have done research and met every year over the past decade.”

​

The planned route of the cross-strait high-speed rail line.​

The project is controversial in Taiwan but Taipei-based political commentator Wang Shing-ching said the island could be won over if the mainland could convince the public it could be built.

“In Taiwan, the public has focused on the technical issues so far, but people with a long-term strategic view of cross-strait ties could be convinced [of its value],” Wang said. “The project indicates the mainland is confident that [pro-independence] Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen will not clearly deny the ‘1992 consensus’ on her inauguration speech on May 20 to become Taiwan’s president.”

Taipei-based cross-strait expert Professor Arthur Ding said political differences between Beijing and Taipei were still the biggest obstacles for the project.

On Saturday, Xi told Shanghai NPC delegates that Beijing’s policy on Taiwan had remained clear and consistent irrespective of the “change in Taiwan’s political situation”. They were his first public remarks on cross-strait ties since Tsai and the DPP won presidential and legislative polls in January.

Chang Ling-chen, from National Taiwan University, said Xi’s remarks reflected his determination to cement progress on cross-strait political ties by 2020.

 

[initial_d]

Why built such a tunnel if using ferry and airplane are more economical?
I think this project is a waste of money and ressources!!

 

[powastick]

Why built such a tunnel if using ferry and airplane are more economical?
I think this project is a wmoney of money and ressources!!

Think harder.

 

[initial_d]

Think harder.

Hahaha may i ask how much will it cost?
Do the majority taiwanese wanted that tunnel??
How long that tunnel gonna be break even financially?
think harder?!
Lol......you need to think smarter

 

[xunzi]

Why built such a tunnel if using ferry and airplane are more economical?
I think this project is a waste of money and ressources!!

If we told you the reason for building this, you would be amazed but hey why should we? LOL But listen to me my friend, from an economical angle since that is what you want to argue, nothing is more efficient in transporting goods and services than train. Nothing, not airplane or ship. It's that simple.

 

[TaiShang]

The big question, whether this project will take place before or after unification.

Nonetheless, the mere surface of this project is a sign of China's upcoming renewed Taiwan focus.

The timing also suggests Mainland's trust on the practicality and pragmatism of the new government of China's Taiwan.

But I have my doubts, in this political climate of Taiwan, approval of the project would be an easy affair. Nonetheless, it is a big plus on part of Taiwan's perception of Mainland -- at least, the perception of the majority of people.

Overall, that's an amazing project and the Greater Chinese nation is more than capable of completing the task.

 

[Aepsilons]

China’s plan to build world’s longest rail tunnel – from Pingtan to Taipei – is part of Xi Jinping’s long-term strategy on Taiwan: analysts | South China Morning Post
Minnie Chan in Beijing

• PUBLISHED : Monday, 07 March, 2016, 12:21am
• UPDATED : Monday, 07 March, 2016, 4:37pm

Beijing has included a cross-strait high-speed rail network in its new five-year plan. Photo: Xinhua​

Beijing’s inclusion of cross-strait high-speed rail network in its new five-year plan reflects President Xi Jinping’s long-term strategy on Taiwan, analysts said on Sunday.

The 126km line from Pingtan – a pilot free-trade zone area set up by Beijing in Fujian province in 2013 to boost trade with Taiwan – to Taipei would be the world’s longest rail tunnel if the proposal is realised.

According to the 13th five-year plan from 2016 to 2020, the project is scheduled to be completed in 2030.

“The Pingtan-Taipei section is part of the Beijing-Taipei high-speed rail line that has been studied for more than a decade. The mainland part has been completed while the Taiwan part is awaiting Taiwan’s approval,” Pingtan Experimental Development Zone head Zhang Zhaomin said at a National People’s Congress panel discussion yesterday.

“There is no technical barrier to the cross-strait rail line. We have gathered advice from experts cross the Taiwan Strait and they have done research and met every year over the past decade.”

​

The planned route of the cross-strait high-speed rail line.​

The project is controversial in Taiwan but Taipei-based political commentator Wang Shing-ching said the island could be won over if the mainland could convince the public it could be built.

“In Taiwan, the public has focused on the technical issues so far, but people with a long-term strategic view of cross-strait ties could be convinced [of its value],” Wang said. “The project indicates the mainland is confident that [pro-independence] Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen will not clearly deny the ‘1992 consensus’ on her inauguration speech on May 20 to become Taiwan’s president.”

Taipei-based cross-strait expert Professor Arthur Ding said political differences between Beijing and Taipei were still the biggest obstacles for the project.

On Saturday, Xi told Shanghai NPC delegates that Beijing’s policy on Taiwan had remained clear and consistent irrespective of the “change in Taiwan’s political situation”. They were his first public remarks on cross-strait ties since Tsai and the DPP won presidential and legislative polls in January.

Chang Ling-chen, from National Taiwan University, said Xi’s remarks reflected his determination to cement progress on cross-strait political ties by 2020.

China should build upon the Qiongzhou-Guangdong sea bridge , perhaps a larger version? A Fujian-Taiwan Sea Bridge?

 

[Abacin]

China should build upon the Qiongzhou-Guangdong sea bridge , perhaps a larger version? A Fujian-Taiwan Sea Bridge?

Qiongzhou-Guangdong sea bridge will not work because the seabed here is actually very deep and there is an important military base nearby. If a SCS war breaks out, this base is the 4th level behind Sanya base, Xisha Base and Nasha base. It is crucial for a SCS navy war. So both economical and military reason will not allow the bridge to happen.

Same for A Fujian-Taiwan Sea Bridge. Taiwan strait is a strategic connection between East Sea Fleet and South Sea Fleet. No bridge to block it.

 

[TaiShang]

The project has been on the line for over a decade now. I think it is the right time to make it a reality. That will further integrate the two sides in terms of economics and people to people relations -- which is already very robust just as between any other two cities-provinces of China.

The report below is from 2002.

***

Cross-Strait Seminar on a Bridge/Tunnel to Link up Mainland, Island Province

Some 70 experts and scholars from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan gathered at Xiamen University on March 23 and 24 to attend a seminar on possibilities and plans to build a bridge and tunnel to link up the two territorial parts of China.

Some 70 experts and scholars from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan gathered at Xiamen University on March 23 and 24 to attend a seminar on possibilities and plans to build a bridge and tunnel to link up the two territorial parts of China.

Two similar seminars had been held before. The first one opened in Xiamen, November 1998, at which three cross-straits routes were raised, that is, the north route, the middle route and the south route. The north route, the shortest of the three, runs from Fujian's Pingtan to Taiwan's Hsinchu and covers a length of 127 km. The middle route links Putian with central Taiwan. The south route, the longest one, runs from Xiamen's Xiuqiao to Xiaojinmen, to Jinmen, then to Penghu via tunnel, reaches Taiwan's Jiayi(Chia-i) via bridge and tunnel, covering a distance about 207 km over the sea. At the end of 1999, experts gathered in Pingtan and discussed the north route plan.

Co-sponsored by Xiamen University, Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences as well as cross-straits exchange association in Fujian Province, the seminar this time focused its discussion on the "south route" plan, that is, the "Xiamen-Jinmen-Penghu-Jiayi" suggestion, which turns out a combination of bridge, tunnel and island.

Governor of Fujian Province Xi Jinping send a congratulatory letter to the seminar, saying that the last hundreds of years have see frequent exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan, and construction of a cross-straits tunnel has become a dream of all Chinese people. If successfully built, it would be of great significance to national reunification and bring great development to both mainland and Taiwan.

 

[Daniel808]

Why built such a tunnel if using ferry and airplane are more economical?
I think this project is a waste of money and ressources!!

Ask British and French Members in here.
Why they build Tunnel across English Channel?
The Answer maybe same.

Think Harder !

China should build upon the Qiongzhou-Guangdong sea bridge , perhaps a larger version? A Fujian-Taiwan Sea Bridge?

I hope not Bridge, Bridge is more Vulnerable.
Tunnel is much Better.

Hope they add some Window Superstructure, so we can see Deep Ocean view while we Driving across the tunnel

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I hope not Bridge, Bridge is more Vulnerable.
Tunnel is much Better.

Hope they add some Window Superstructure, so we can see Deep Ocean view while we Driving across the tunnel

I'm quite sure it will be cutting through solid rock below the seabed.