A conceptual picture of the Pingtan-Taiwan Medicinal Herbs Trading Center to be built in Pingtan, Fujian province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A $150-million complex for trading medicinal herbs, the Pingtan-Taiwan Medicinal Herbs Trading Center, began construction in Jinjing Bay in Pingtan, Fujian province, on Feb 21.

The new center will be a modern distribution center for cross-Straits trade in medicinal herbs. It will cover an area of 67,000 square meters once construction is completed, which will make it the largest market of its kind in Fujian province.

The complex shall be composed of six sub-centers providing different services including trading, testing, processing, warehousing and a demonstration area, according to Huang Lifeng, general manager of Fujian Provincial Pharmaceutical Group.

"It shall play an active role in ensuring herb quality, strengthening the economic cooperation between Fujian and Taiwan, as well as further enhancing Fujian's influence in the pharmaceutical industry in China," added Huang.

According to Lin Wozhong, deputy director of the construction project, the trading center is scheduled to be opened in July 2019.