Xiamen firms welcome Taiwan students for summer internships

Xiamen tourism companies welcome their first group of Taiwan interns. [Photo/sunnews.cn]

Companies from various sectors in Xiamen are offering internship positions to Taiwan students during the summer vacation, as part of 31 measures to promote cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation that were announced in February this year, local media reported.

Tourism companies in Xiamen recently welcomed their first batch of 45 Taiwan interns for the first time.

Kao Hsüan from National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism in Taiwan, who is taking an internship with Xiamen Lingling Hotel for a month, said that she has not only obtained practical experience as a hotel receptionist from this internship, but it has also made her realize that this is a good choice for her future career.

Lin Zhengxin, deputy general manager of Lingling Hotel, said that the hotel has cooperated with many Taiwan universities, and is planning to offer their students six-month to one-year internships in the future.

Chuang I-fu, a postgraduate from Taiwan's Chinese Culture University, expects to learn more about the Chinese mainland's tourism industry during his internship in Xiamen and he also looks forward to working in Xiamen after graduation.

"It will become a common practice for Taiwan students to take internships with Xiamen tourism firms," Wu Dongkai from Xiamen Municipal Commission of Tourism Development said.

In addition to tourism companies, Xiamen Bank recruited a group of 80 Taiwan interns this year, soaring from the initial eight.

As early as 2013, Xiamen Bank started hiring interns from Taiwan and now the bank has  agreements with seven Taiwan universities, such as Fu Jen Catholic University and National Sun Yat-sen University, to offer their students internship positions.