Updated: 2005-06-10
A huge cargo ship made in the Chinese mainland under a Taiwan order was officially launched to voyage on Friday.

The 17.5-ton bulk cargo ship Zhonghua Heping (Chinese Peace), kicked off its first sail here toward South Africa after being formally handed over to its owner, a Taiwan-based shipping company from a Shanghai-based dockyard.

The Shanghai Waigaoqiao dockyard received the order from Taiwanthree years ago and finished building the huge ship nearly 4 months earlier than schedule.

"The launching of the cargo ship is a milestone for China's shipbuilding industry and also a symbol for the close and inseparable economic cooperation between both sides across the Taiwan Straits," said Tung Chee-hwa, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Participants in the hand-over and launching ceremony also included Li Bingcai, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party Chairman Lien Chan's wife, and over 200 officials and delegates from many countries and regions.