Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, has enacted the first local regulation in the Chinese mainland that directly recognizes professional qualifications from Taiwan. The new law passed at the 24th session of the 16th Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress on Oct 27 and will take effect on Jan 1, 2025.

The regulation aims to institutionalize earlier pilot efforts to streamline the recognition of professional qualifications from Taiwan, advancing cross-strait talent exchange. So far, 80 qualifications have been recognized, benefiting 195 Taiwan professionals.

Wu Siying, a Taiwan doctor practicing in Xiamen, praised the policy for enabling him to offer service across both sides. It sets clear procedures for qualification recognition, establishes a dynamic adjustment mechanism for the approved list and offers equal professional status and benefits to Taiwan professionals, including subsidies for training and skill development.

"This law removes institutional barriers and advances recognition of professional qualifications from Taiwan in Xiamen," said Chen Xiangui, an official from the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress.

Experts regard the regulation as an important demonstration of Xiamen exploring new paths for integrated development across the Strait with a legal mindset and legal methods, which is expected to encourage more Taiwan talent to seek opportunities in Xiamen, contributing to cross-strait cooperation and development.

Guo Yanqi contributed to the story.