Kinmen bridge a good idea

There are political considerations to operating the Kinmen-Xiamen bridge as well, since both governments would have to reach an arrangement for customs and immigration checks on both sides.

Since immigration and customs are functions normally exercised by sovereign governments, it would be ideal to see mainland China and Taiwan acknowledge each other's right to set up inspection stations on their respective ends of the bridge.

Ideally, immigration and customs officials from both sides could sit together, or nearby each other, at the entrances on both sides of the bridge, so that travelers would only need to go through one set of inspections before continuing on their way.

But even if such arrangements are not feasible, both sides could easily maintain immigration and customs inspection stations on their respective sides of the bridge.

If a bridge between Kinmen and Xiamen can operate smoothly, this would bode well for eventually opening up road traffic by means of tunnels or bridges between Taiwan and mainland China.

The operation of the Kinmen-Xiamen bridge would also reflect positively on the peaceful state of relations between the two former enemies, perhaps even help push both sides toward signing a formal cessation of hostilities or even a peace agreement.

Since the risks and costs of building the bridge are so low, and the opportunities for benefits are so great, there is little reason not to go ahead with building the bridge.

In Taiwan, we will need to do more to generate the political will to make this symbolic move of building a road bridge to the other side. But Beijing will also have to be realistic and pragmatic about how customs and immigration matters will be handed once the bridge is built. There is also the obvious matter of how to pay for the bridge, as well as what contractors would be selected to build it and where materials for it would be procured.

The experience of working together on this joint construction project could serve as a model for cooperation in other areas, such as joint exploitation of oil and mineral resources in the Taiwan Strait. All in all, there is much to be gained from a Kinmen-Xiamen bridge, while there is little to lose.

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