First Two-Way Direct Flights between the Chinese Mainland and Taiwan Begin on Jan 29, 2005

The first direct flight between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

First two-way direct flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan begin on Jan 29, 2005

On Jan 29, 2005, the Chinese mainland and Taiwan welcomed the first two-way flights between them; the flights didn't stop at the Hong Kong transfer station.

In the next 12 hours, during Spring Festival, nine passenger planes (from Air China Limited, China Eastern Air Holding Co. Ltd, China Southern Air Holding Company Ltd, Shanghai Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, China Airlines and Eva Airlines) flew Taiwan businessmen over Hong Kong directly to five cities across the straits in both directions, marking a new page of cross-Straits exchange.

Gwadar free zone opens on Jan 29, 2018

The opening ceremony of Pakistan's Gwadar free zone, a landmark Belt and Road project constructed by China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC), was held on Jan 29, 2018, along with the first Gwadar International Commodities Trade Fair.

The development of the Gwadar port was important to the overall construction of the China-Pakistan economic corridor.

The Gwadar free zone would become an important node of the China-Pakistan economic corridor, a demonstration area for China-Pakistan cooperation on production capacity and an engine for economic development in western Pakistan.

China's first metro tunnel shield tunneling machine is launched on Jan 29, 2016

On Jan 29, 2016, China's first metro tunnel shield tunneling machine built by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) was launched at Haicang Dadao station in Xiamen, becoming a model for metro submarine shield construction and a major leap in the development of China's tunnel submarine shield technology. 

(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)