The Chinese mainland and Taiwan will have full two-way postal remittance services starting Thursday for the first time in 60 years, Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said?Wednesday.

Fan said post offices on both sides had completed technical tests and were ready to start service. More than 2,000 mainland post offices would offer outward remittances and more than 20,000 would be able to receive funds from Taiwan, she said.

The difference in the number of facilities reflects the fact that more money flows into the mainland from Taiwan than the reverse.

Since Dec. 15, cross-Straits postal remittances have been available, but only for transfers from Taiwan.

These remittances were part of a broader opening up of postal service involving letters, parcels and express deliveries that began two months ago.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2009)