'Mini three links' mark 25th anniversary with record cross-Strait trips in 2025

The "mini three links" route celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday, hitting a historic milestone with record-breaking travel figures that highlight the deepening ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Direct passenger services under the links, which refer to small-scale trade, shipping and postal services between Fujian, the province on the Chinese mainland that faces the Taiwan region, and Kinmen and Matsu, islands administered by Taiwan, were officially launched on January 2, 2001.

In 2025, the links recorded over 1.43 million inbound and outbound trips by Taiwan residents, surpassing all previous annual totals in the service's 25-year history, according to data released by the Xiamen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection on Wednesday.

Passenger traffic on the links will exceed 20,000 trips during the three-day 2026 New Year holiday that started on Thursday, said the station.

The links serve as a bridge of hearts and livelihoods, facilitating not only family reunions and cultural exchanges but also expanding business opportunities across the Strait.