FUZHOU, May 18 (Xinhua) – The 27th Cross-Strait Fair for Economy and Trade (CSFET) opened on May 18 at the Fuzhou Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center in Fujian. The event gathered over 1,000 Taiwan businesspeople and representatives from more than 60 Taiwan business associations and 30 regional Taiwan business federations across the mainland. Ten Taiwan-invested projects were signed at the opening ceremony, with a total value of 8.27 billion yuan.

Under the theme “Deepening Cross-Strait Integration, Building the First Homeland,” this year’s CSFET followed a “4+2+N” model, which included four major events, two themed promotion platforms, and a series of high-level cross-strait economic exchange activities and industry cooperation showcases.

Li Zhenghong, President of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, noted that CSFET has grown over more than 30 years into a well-regarded platform for cross-strait economic exchange. He emphasized continued confidence in investing in the mainland, calling it “the best choice” for Taiwan businesses.

For the first time, 14 national-level Taiwan Farmers Pioneer Parks in Fujian collectively showcased their achievements in cross-strait agricultural cooperation, encouraging more young Taiwanese and farmers to participate in agricultural development across the strait.

At the opening, Taiwanese companies including Fujian Weng Caiji Food Co., Fujian Daqin Whisky Co., and Fuzhou Weimai Chuqiu Food Co. signed agreements with major mainland retailers and e-commerce platforms. Additionally, TPV Technology (Fujian) signed a commercial display promotion agreement with the Fujian Broadcasting and TV Group. Other signed projects covered sectors like culture and tourism, new energy, and healthcare.

“Having operated in the mainland for years, we’re now aiming to expand into online sales,” said Weng Yingmin, Deputy General Manager of Weng Caiji Food. “This fair helped us find strong strategic partners.”

Xin Qiang, Director of the Taiwan Research Center at Fudan University, highlighted the mainland’s consistent policy support and strong national capacity as key to navigating global risks, adding that cross-strait industries can achieve mutual benefits through cooperation.

Over the past 31 years, CSFET has built a comprehensive, multi-level platform for cooperation and has played a key role in advancing cross-strait integration.

This year’s event was hosted by the Fujian Provincial Government and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and organized by the Fuzhou Municipal Government, Fujian’s Taiwan Affairs Office, and the Fujian Department of Commerce.