As one of three free trade zones (FTZ) in Fujian province, the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone (PCPZ) is expected to roll out more reform policies for overseas investors, including a relaxation in allowing them to make investments in more fields, according to a local official.

The Fujian FTZ, composed of parts of Fuzhou, Xiamen and Pingtan, will release a negative list, which specifies bans or restrictions on foreign investments. And Pingtan, as the only experimental area on the Chinese mainland open to Taiwan, will grant more freedom for foreign investors, said Ma Donggen, deputy director of the Pingtan Economic Development Bureau.

The Pingtan FTZ will use 51 successful working models and mechanisms adopted by the Shanghai Pilot FTZ which was inaugurated about one and half years ago. And 11 of them have already being carried out, according to local authorities.

Meanwhile, Pingtan will make innovations in more areas, including a government administrative mode, new commercial mode, cross-Straits integration and the construction of a free trade port.

Pingtan maintained steady development, while making some pivotal breakthroughs in 2014, said Zhou Qingsong, deputy director of PCPZ’s administrative committee in a work report on Jan 16.

More than 120,000 people travelled to Taiwan from Pingtan, increasing by 16.7 percent year-on-year. 167 new overseas-funded enterprises settled in Pingtan up by 169 percent; and more than 2,500 job opportunities were created last year.

Pingtan Customs handled 1,136 batches of cargo worth 230 million US dollars, and offered tax breaks of more than 200 billion yuan.

Pingtan will give priority to cross-Straits integration in 2015, and aims to build itself into a free trade port and an international tourism island, said Zhou.

It will also enhance cooperation with Taiwan by pushing for the opening of the Pingtan-Hsinchu sea route and allowing vehicles to drive on each other’s roads, he added.