A local marine shipping company announced on June 25 that a mini-three links between Kaohsiung and Wenzhou in China have begun operation. Kaohsiung Tourism Director Pan Heng-hsu was also present at the launch ceremony. However, it was later found out that the maritime route has not been approved by the central government, therefore Pan apologized for controversy and said that the visit was personal and didn't attend as a government official.


A number of VIP are getting ready to cut the ribbon to launch the opening of a new mini-three links between Kaohsiung and the Chinese city of Wenzhou. Kaohsiung Tourism Director Pen Heng-hsu and KMT city councilor Huang Chao-shun are among the guests. The ceremony has drawn questions as to whether the city of Kaohsiung is allowed to open up a maritime transportation route with China.

The Mainland Affairs Council believe (the launch of the maritime route) is a deceitful political move. It only creates this appearance of bringing in business opportunities for the locals. Both the Qijin Harbor in Kaohsiung and Wenzhou City's Dongtou Harbor cannot serve as a hub for mini-three links. There's no chance for the route to work.

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that the maritime route opened with no permit, and that the shipping company in question has disbanded earlier on June 12. The MAC said that the company's two ships were berthed at the harbor, and did not sail away, and that the ceremony could be an orchestrated event to create a fake impression. Pen Heng-hsu clarified the situation saying that he attended the launch ceremony in private and he was not representing the Kaohsiung government.

As to whether (the launch of the new maritime route) is legal, all the officials attended through legal channels. In the future, I'll verify the nature of similar activities before attending.

It was only a trial run. We didn't say we have opened up a new route that connects to Dongtou Harbor (in Wenzhou, China).

Pen Heng-hsu does not believe his attendance to the launch event was a problem, and that he apologized for drawing criticism to Kaohsiung City government. On the other hand, legislators of the ruling DPP criticized the event and sues Pen Heng-hsu for violating the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and Mainland Area.

All his actions represent the Kaohsiung City government, and he is close with (Kaohsiung) Mayor Han Kuo-yu. Without Han's commission, he couldn't have promoted the new maritime route connecting both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The city councilor has called on the legal department to examine the situation, since opening up a maritime transportation route is the job of the central government. KMT Legislator Huang Chao-shun, who also attended the ceremony, said in a Facebook post that she is sorry for not verifying the nature of the event before attending.



一群貴賓拉著紅線，為上和海運業者的新航線首航剪綵，但這條航線強調高雄旗津到中國溫州的小三通，市府觀光局長潘恆旭和國民黨籍立委黃昭順也在剪綵行列，隨即被各界質疑，高雄可以自辦小三通?

陸委會副主委 邱垂正表示：「陸委會認為這是政治操作的欺騙作為，意圖為地方營造發大財的假像，高雄旗津跟大陸的溫州的洞頭，都不是小三通的港口，依法並無小三通的可能。」

陸委會質疑，這條航線不但未曾提出申請，上和海運也在今年6月12日解散，聲稱首航的兩艘船25日這天則在停高雄港，沒有出航，若是創造直航假象不可取。對此潘恆旭上午出面澄清，航線與市府無關，只是以私人名義參加。

高雄市觀光局長 潘恆旭表示：「他們合不合法這件事情，他們循正常的管道去出席，那下次以後我在類似的活動，我會比較詳細的去核對一下。」

上和海運副總 曹坤隆表示：「我們這次只是大概是一個試航而已，並沒有說要啟動這個，洞頭這個航次。」

潘恆旭不認為出席剪綵有問題，只對造成市府被中央抨擊感到抱歉。民進黨議員則認為有疑點，到法院按鈴提告潘恆旭違反兩岸人民關係條例。

民進黨籍高雄市議員 林智鴻表示：「他的一切的行為都代表高雄市政府，那他又是韓國喻市長的心腹，韓國喻市長市長有沒有授權他，進行這樣兩岸直航，逾越法律權責的推動。」

兩岸直航是中央職權，市府是否違法推動，議員希望司法查明。而相較於市府的態度，黃昭順則在臉書坦承未能查明真相，深感抱歉。