(1) The executive agencies have continued to promote comprehensive normalization of the "Mini-Three-Links" in order to respond to the implementation of direct cross-strait transport links. These efforts include the "Implementation Plan for Normalizing Personnel Exchanges via the 'Mini-Three-Links,'" approved by the Executive Yuan on June 9, 2008, which completely eased restrictions on cross-strait travel by Taiwan personnel via the "Mini-Three-Links;" on September 4 of the same year, the "Promotion Plan for Normalizing Personnel Exchanges" was also approved to further promote the normalization of personnel travel, shipping links, and trade exchanges through the "Mini-Three-Links."
(2) On July 15, 2010, the MAC amended the Regulations Governing the Trial Operation of Transportation Links Between Kinmen/Matsu/Penghu and the Mainland Area in conjunction with the "Mini Three Links" policy review. The focal points of the revisions were as follows: to rationalize and institutionalize the promotion of sea transport management; to comprehensively provide transit convenience for Mainland people via the "Mini Three Links"; to relax the scope of family-related visits to allow illness and bereavement visits, as well as to extend the allowed period of stay for such visits; to include the Penghu area and allow residents of Hong Kong and Macao to apply for visas on arrival; to remove the daily visit quotas for people of the Mainland entering Kinmen or Matsu via the "Mini Three Links"; to relax the allowed period of stay for Mainland visitors traveling via the "Mini Three Links"; to re-institutionalize sanitary and phytosanitary measures in Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu; and to relax the allowed period of stay and allow multiple entry visas for students enrolled in extension education programs and non-credit courses. Furthermore, independent travel via the "Mini Three Links" was allowed from July 29, 2011. Since August 1, 2013, Mainlanders have also been able to apply for multiple-entry visas to Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu.
(3) From June 19, 2008 to June 30, 2014, over 8,570,000 passengers traveled across the Strait via the "Mini-Three-Links," and this number continues to grow. From September 30, 2008 to June 30, 2014, more than 263,000 Mainland tourists traveling to Kinmen and Matsu applied for landing visas. The regularized "Mini-Three-Links" in Penghu was implemented on October 15, 2008. By June 30, 2014, a total of 27 non-regular passenger ships had transported over 16,000 people. Since October 15, 2008, when Taiwan began allowing exports of goods to the Mainland via the "Mini Three Links," the average monthly value of such trade has exceeded NT$4.24 billion, soaring 671% from the comparable figure in the year before opening (October 2007 to September 2008).
(4) In order to help Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu to find a most advantageous position in overall cross-strait interactions, the government has continued to carry out the mid- and long-term economic development plan for offshore islands. The Executive Yuan completed the Kinmen and Matsu Mid- and Long-term Economic Development Plan in 2009. On December 31, 2009, the government released a policy result and outlook report for that year, in which the Kinmen and Matsu Mid- and Long-term Economic Development Plan was positioned as a cross-strait "pilot demonstration area" to first promote economic policies supporting development in the Kinmen and Matsu areas and also the main island of Taiwan. The tourism industry was designated as the development axis. Kinmen and Matsu were positioned as international tourism and leisure islands, fitness and health care islands and duty-free luxury good shopping islands. In the future, the MAC will promote related work in conjunction with the National Development Council.