Kaohsiung Harbor has great potential for attracting tourists from China, the president of the China-based Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association (CSTEA) said in a meeting with representatives of the tourism industry in southen Taiwan Monday. Vacationing is now gaining popularity in China. With Hong Kong portrayed as a shopping heaven for tourists from China, Kaohsiung has great potential for developing into a cruise vacation center, said Shao Qiwei, who also serves as director of China's National Tourism Administration. Lin Fu-nan, president of the Kao-Kao-Ping Tourism Alliance, a union of tourism- related industries in the Kaohsiung and Pingtung areas, presented southern Taiwan as an ideal destination for independent Chinese travelers, and promoted more direct cross-strait transport and exchanges of tourism personnel in the southern Taiwan area. Shao gave his assurance that the alliance's voice will be heard by the authorities in Beijing. Unlike the existing country-wide group tours, future independent travelers from China will be more likely to tour individual cities of their choice, according to Shao. Details and regulations regarding the new travel options will be concluded in future cross-strait negotiations, he added. With the number of Chinese visitors expected to hit 3 million this year, cross- strait charter flights alone are not enough to meet demand, Shao said, adding that an increase in sea transport is required. Responding to Shao's promise to introduce more Chinese travelers to Taiwan and to Kaohsiung in particular, Lin said that southern Taiwan is fully prepared to receive the increased number of tourists. 