Xu Li Qin News

More than half a century of family division ended in hugs and tears of joy on Tuesday after the first mainland Chinese ship to sail legally to Taiwan since 1949 arrived at the heavily-fortified island of Quemoy. The China-registered Gulangyu, or Piano Island, docked to be welcomed by the sounds of gongs, drums and firecrackers, in another sign of rapprochement efforts between the long-term adversaries. Aboard the passenger ferry were 80 elderly Quemoy natives stranded on the mainland since China's civil war split in 1949. Among them was Li Mingfu, 80, a doctor of Chinese traditional medicine, who was reunited with his 89-year-old sister Xu Li Qin. "I never thought I would see you again here," he said, tears streaming down his face as he embraced his sister who was too frail to walk.