--A glimpse into integrated economic and trade development across the Straits in the Fair

The 27th Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade was held in Fuzhou from May 18 to 22.

At the invitation of Fuzhou, scores of businesspersons gathered in the event. Drawing the participation of more than 60 industrial and commercial trade groups and 1,000 businessmen from Taiwan as well as nearly 700 overseas Chinese from over 60 countries and regions, the Cross-Strait Fair has expanded increasingly its reach.

The fair has reaped tangible results and sowed seeds of hope. Over 1,200 representatives from trade associations at home and abroad, entrepreneurs, industrial experts and scholars attended the Together for Prosperity in Fuzhou: Global Investment Promotion Conference, an event held over the same period, where more than 80 projects with a total investment of over RMB130 bln were signed.

The economic and trade event showcased again an enduring robust need for integrated development across the Straits, and has blossomed over time into the most influential comprehensive trade and investment invent across the Straits and a significant platform to pilot cross-Straits integration. An increasing number of businesspersons across the Straits are joining hands to create a brighter future.

Every inquiry and every handshake in the Cross-Straits Fair signified positive messages to Taiwan compatriots and businesses.

Thanks to the fertile soil, in which it takes roots, the Fair can be so appealing. In the period when the latest fair was held, a great many Taiwan compatriots and businesses were no longer satisfied by merely holding exhibition or promotional activities in the fair, but also visited the Fuzhou-Matsu Industrial Cooperation Park with the hope of seeing firsthand and from broader perspectives the business environment and industrial progress, and seeking more cooperation opportunities.

In response to opportunities and challenges in the AI era, the Fair launched a cross-Straits symposium on AI+ industrial design creativity and innovation. Experts and scholars on AI and industrial design, and business representatives across the Straits gathered in the event to exchange opinions on in-depth integration of AI technology and industrial design.

Integrated economic and trade development across the Straits is an overriding trend, and accords with the will of the people. To fulfill this goal, compatriots across the Straits need to pull together and seek common development.

A greater consensus was fostered. As an important part of the Cross-Straits Fair, the 2025 Cross-Straits Chambers of Commerce Cooperation and Development Conference prioritized joint efforts to build resilient industrial chains and take advantage of the enabling role of chambers of commerce.

The platform was further expanded. As an eye-catching part of the Fair, the first Cross-Straits Industrial Development Conference attracted the participation of more than 300 guests from industrial and commercial circles, who exchanged thoroughly opinions on green industrial transformation, digital and intelligent transformation, and smart manufacturing, and discussed ways to build a new mechanism for industrial cooperation across the Straits.

A continuous stream of results have emerged. In the Cross-Straits Fair, the Cross-Straits Carbon Neutrality Conference Organizing Committee issued the Fuzhou Initiative for Carbon Neutrality and Green Action among Enterprises Across the Straits, which is intended to call on businesses across the Straits to deliver their commitments to a green environment, and contributing to global climate governance and sustainable development. (Text by Tang Weiqiang and Feng Xuezhu, Photo by Chi Yuan)