Forum seeks integrated regional development

Stakeholders meet online and offline to share experiences in Pingtan county

At a recent forum on cross-Straits relations, which opened in Pingtan, Fujian province, on Tuesday, attendees from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan explored cooperation in integrated regional development and enhancing exchanges at the grassroots level.

The Homeland Forum, held both online and offline, has attracted nearly 300 participants, including government officials, leaders of trade associations and village representatives.

Government data show that over the past seven years, the number of Taiwan-funded companies in Fujian surpassed 6,000 and trade between the province and the island stood at more than 440 billion yuan ($64.83 billion).

During the period, more than 200 cultural exchange events were held annually and Fujian received 3.87 million visits from Taiwan. Currently, more than 180,000 Taiwan residents live in Fujian.

As the only Taiwan-oriented comprehensive experimental zone on the mainland, Pingtan has rolled out a series of innovative policies and action plans to explore a new path for the integrated development of both sides, Guo Ningning, vice-governor of Fujian, said at the forum.

To date, Pingtan has launched direct freight and passenger flight routes to Taiwan's northern, central and southern regions. The county has also set up certification and supervision systems for the credentials of professionals, businesses and products from across the Taiwan Straits.

It is home to the first service center dedicated to Taiwan residents and companies on the mainland, playing a pilot role in promoting trade and economic cooperation, standards formulation, and cultural and grassroots exchanges, Guo said.

Wu Chia-ying, executive vice-president of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, told the forum that due to its comprehensive experimental zone, Pingtan has emerged as a forerunner in cross-Straits integrated development and become the springboard for Taiwan businesspeople to explore the market on the mainland.

In addition to its main forum on Tuesday morning, the two-day event featured other cross-Straits activities－a meeting of leaders of villages and residential communities, an online agricultural and fishing products trade fair, and an art exhibition.

At the meeting of leaders of villages held on Tuesday afternoon, attendees from across the Taiwan Straits shared their experiences in the administration of grassroots communities, and experts from research institutions and universities delivered comments on specific case studies.

They tried to create a platform for exchanges in innovation in administrative services and joined hands to seek new paths to improve community governance and integrated cross-Straits development.

The online agricultural fair, which lasted through Wednesday, introduced farm and fishing products from Taiwan. Via livestreams and e-commerce portals, farmers and fishermen from the mainland and Taiwan broadcast their production processes, ranging from picking fruits, cleaning and packing to cold-chain transportation in a bid to secure orders.

They also shared production technologies, industrial information and marketing philosophies with their peers via the platform.

The art exhibition, combining online and offline modes and running through Wednesday, showcased Pingtan's progress in opening-up.

Painters and calligraphers created works on the spot and a collection of paintings, calligraphy creations, traditional handicrafts and innovative cultural derivatives were displayed portraying the cultural identity of people from across the Taiwan Straits.

During the exhibition, experts on traditional Chinese culture encouraged participants to learn about Confucianism and to embrace the charm of traditional culture.