From May 15 to 22, the "Cross-Straits Forum", presenting the theme of "expanding nongovernmental exchanges, strengthening cross-Straits cooperation as well as promoting mutual development," will be held in many cities in Fujian Province, including Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Putian and Xiamen. This "Cross-Straits Forum" is previously known as the "FOBWEST Business Forum," which has already been held three times. It has now developed into a major cross-Straits exchange event. People from various sectors, classes and ranks of Taiwan will be invited to extensively participate in the forum; meanwhile relevant provinces and cities (districts) of the Chinese mainland will also arrange delegations to the forum.

The "Cross-Straits Forum” consists of four sessions with 18 economic and cultural exchange events, including the opening ceremony and forum meeting, the Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade, the “Cross-Straits Cultural Week” and the “Cross-Straits Nongovernmental Exchange Carnival.” The opening ceremony will be held in Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center in the evening of May 16. The Gala Evening with the theme of “China Passion and Straits Connection” will be held after the opening ceremony. The forum meeting will be hosted at Xiamen Cross-Straits Conference Center on the morning of May 17. Long Yongtu, general secretary of Boao Forum for Asia will preside over the meeting; officials from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and Fujian Province as well as other distinguished guests from Taiwan will make keynote speeches. The Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade will be held in Fuzhou from May 18 to 22. A series of activities will be held at this fair, such as an exhibition of famous local products from Taiwan, cross-Straits creative industry cooperation summit, the cross-Straits discussion meeting on equipment manufacturing projects, and the cross-Straits tourism meeting.

The 18 events are as follows:

1. Opening ceremony for the “Cross-Straits Forum,” and Gala Evening with the theme of “China Passion and Straits Connection”

2. “Cross-Straits Forum” meeting

3. Round-table Conference on Cross-Straits Direct Transportation

4. Cross-Straits Tourism Summit

5. Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade

6. High-level Seminar on the Taiwan Straits Economic Zone

7. Taiwan Counties and Cities Day

8. Cross-Straits Association of Economic and Trade Exchange

9. Seminar on the Cross-Straits Development and Cooperation in Traditional Chinese Medicine

10. Unveiling Ceremony for the Pioneering Base of Chinese Calligraphy on the Western coast of Taiwan Strait

11. Cross-Straits Radio, Movie and Television Week

12. Cross-Straits Traditional Kungfu Competition

13. Cross-Straits Women?s Fitness Competition

14. Academic seminar of university presidents from both sides of the Taiwan Straits

15. Mazu (Goddess of the sea) worshipers’ pilgrimage directly from Taiwan to Meizhou

16. Cross-Straits Young Leaders Roundtable Conference

17. Exhibitions on Fujian and Taiwan Family Trees and Cultural Heritage, Fujian and Taiwan Fellowship Conference

18. General Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) Cultural Festival