Xiangshan port's small-scale trade volume with Taiwan stands at 64.898 million yuan ($9.68 million) in 2019, an increase of 2.6 percent year-on-year.[Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

Xiangshan port's small-scale trade volume with Taiwan stood at 64.898 million yuan ($9.68 million) in 2019, an increase of 2.6 percent year-on-year, according to Ningbo Customs.

The port, located in Ningbo, has more small-scale trade with Taiwan than any port in Zhejiang province.

Xiangshan Taijing Import & Export Co is the only company in Ningbo that has established small-scale trade relations with Taiwan.

The company primarily exports various kinds of sea fish to the island including frozen squid, pomfret, and octopus.

The company's frozen mackerel exports to Taiwan soared 350 percent in 2019, accounting for 35 percent of the company's total exports to the island. 

Chen Yueting, manager of the company, said that the increased orders of mackerel last year are because sea fishing is gaining in popularity in Taiwan, and mackerel is a premium variety of bait.

The company's total trade volume with Taiwan reached nearly 3,000 tons in 2019, the largest on record, Chen revealed. 

The strong result is partly due to efforts made by the local authorities to optimize customs clearing services.

Ningbo Customs implemented a "no stay clearance" system for frozen aquatic products. 

The system allows the exports to be examined by customs officials after being loaded on to vessels, saving time and money for enterprises.

Zhang Shaobo, deputy head of Xiangshan Customs, said that the customs clearance time at Xiangshan port for exports and imports now stands at 3 hours and 11 hours respectively, an annual decrease of 70 percent.

He also pledged that they will continue to improve services so as to help boost cross-Straits economic and trade links.