Cross-Straits Optical Fiber Communications Industries Pursue Mutual Growth

　　 On the morning of April 10, the Cross-Straits Summit for the Optical Fiber Communications Industries opened at Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center.   Industry professionals from across the Taiwan Straits explored ways to seize market opportunities, accelerate optimization and consolidation, and capitalizing on the explosive growth of FTTH (Fiber to the Home).   As one of the essential infrastructure facilities of China’s information initiative, the FTTH program has been progressing rapidly. With the launch of the trial operation of the 3G network, soaring copper prices and the increasing use of optical fiber in place of copper, China’s optical fiber communications market is expected to grow at a staggering annual rate of 300%. Taiwan had 200,000 optical fiber users at the end of 2006, and the number is expected to jump to 2.5 million by 2010.   In recent years, the mainland and Taiwan have steadily stepped up cooperation and exchanges. In 2005, both sides jointly formed the Cross-Straits Optical Communications Promotion Council at the 2005 CXMEE, allowing both sides to join forces and pool their strengths in tapping into the market and obtaining mutual benefits.