CRI听力：Mainland, Taiwan to Start Two-Way Electronic Postal Remittance Services

The Chinese mainland and Taiwan will start two-way electronic postal remittance services for the first time in 60 years.
 
Fan Liqing, a spokesperson with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, says that post offices on the mainland and Taiwan are testing the feasibility of the arrangement and the services will begin soon after the tests are completed.

"After the start of two-way postal remittance services, we will try to provide better services in an expanded business scope. Also, the two sides are now discussing the possibility of cross-straits mail orders and online order services."(www.hxen.net)
 
Currently, due to technical reasons, Taiwan's post offices can provide services for money transfers bound for the mainland, but can not accept remittances from the mainland.
 
Fan Liqing said that by early February, Taiwan's post offices had almost completed upgrades of its system, which makes two-way transfer services possible in the future.
 
The spokeswoman didn't give an exact start date for the services, but Taiwan's Chunghwa Post Company reported earlier that two-way services would begin mid-February.
 
The mainland and Taiwan signed a series of landmark agreements on direct air, sea and postal services last November. Such direct links formally started in mid December last year.