China News Agency, Pingtan, March 24th, title: Spring tide stirs New Fujian: Pingtan "connects" both sides of the strait

　　China News Agency reporter Yan Xu

　　As the only comprehensive experimental zone facing Taiwan in the mainland, the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone in Fujian Province aims to build a "common home for compatriots on both sides of the strait", and has handed over a new answer sheet in promoting the integrated development of both sides of the strait.

The data map is overlooking the Pingtan Strait Highway-Railway Bridge.

(UAV photo) Photo by China News Agency reporter Wang Dongming

　　The first container liner route with Pingtan as its home port and direct flights to the mainland of Taiwan has been put into operation; the import of Taiwan's agricultural and fishery products and the export of cross-border e-commerce to Taiwan account for more than 50% of the mainland's total... Over the past year, Pingtan has taken the lead In the test, the channels of cross-strait integration continue to expand, and compatriots on both sides of the strait are getting closer and closer.

Data map: A scene of a beautiful fishing village next to the Pingtan Strait Highway-Railway Bridge.

Photo by Wang Dongming

Agricultural cooperation a bright spot

　　In Shanglou Village, Haitan District, Pingtan, Zhan Xiangming, a snail farmer from Taiwan, found two acres of wasteland, cultivated 3,000 white jade snails, and planted sweet potatoes.

Today, four local villagers have also joined his farming team.

　　"The white jade snail likes shade, and the sweet potato leaves can provide shade and rain for the snail, and the excrement of the snail can provide fertilizer for the growth of the sweet potato, killing two birds with one stone." Fu Taocheng from Yunlin County, Taiwan, who is already a local community builder, decided to Leading the villagers in Shanglou Village to breed snails, "This way of combining planting and breeding is more environmentally friendly."

　　Last year, Pingtan added 9 Taiwan-funded agricultural enterprises, and newly landed 9 Fujian-Taiwan agricultural integration development (agriculture and fishery) industrial park projects, involving leisure tourism agriculture, seafood processing industry, and seedling import and export isolation nursery construction projects.

　　On Pingtan Island, the golden passion fruit of Taiwan planted in Shanglou Village and Youyi Village is in short supply; Hongwei Village picks the millennium cherry tomatoes in the garden, attracting many tourists to pick and buy; The Taiwan Phalaenopsis in the (Agriculture and Fisheries) Industrial Park is also very popular in the market.

Agricultural cooperation has become a highlight of Pingtan's "connection" between the two sides of the strait.

Equal treatment is more accurate

　　"It is really convenient to be able to experience the medical services of Taiwanese doctors online." Liu Renxing, a Taiwanese compatriot who has lived in Pingtan for many years, is accustomed to Taiwan's medical services and medicines. It is convenient to come to see a doctor for consultation, and it also saves the trouble of sending medicines from Taiwan.”

　　In November last year, the mainland's first cross-strait medical service platform "Taiwan Yitong" was launched, providing services such as "medicine, medicine, health, and insurance" for Taiwan compatriots through a combination of online and offline methods.

Lin Shupan, deputy general manager of Strait Innovation Internet Hospital (Pingtan) Co., Ltd., the operator of "Taiwan Medical Link", told the China News Agency that there are currently 30 Taiwanese doctors on the platform. In the future, Taiwan's high-quality pharmaceutical industry projects will be introduced to promote Cross-strait medical industry integrated development.

　　In 2021, Pingtan innovatively launched the "Taiwan Compatriots Credit Flash Loan" and "Taiwan Medical Link", and established an emergency relief fund for Taiwan compatriots to provide more accurate and convenient living guarantees for Taiwan compatriots and facilitate the development of more Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan enterprises.

Cross-strait exchanges are not interrupted

　　At Aoqian Primary School in Pingtan, the guzheng classroom of Taiwanese youth Tan Jiaming is often full.

Since 2017, Tan Jiaming has been promoting folk music in Pingtan, constantly introducing outstanding Taiwanese music talents to Pingtan, and cooperating with primary schools to teach pipa, erhu, guzheng and other national musical instruments.

Tan Jiaming expressed the hope that folk music will take root in the hearts of the next generation.

　　The "Cross-Strait Sinology Lecture Hall" of the Pingtan Cross-Strait Sinology Center promotes classics in the form of online live lectures by famous teachers, making Taiwan compatriot Song Siwei who loves Sinology a must-see every issue.

Song Siwei also hopes to have the opportunity to cooperate with the Cross-Strait Sinology Center in the future to jointly spread the excellent traditional Chinese culture.

　　Since last year, Pingtan Cross-Strait Sinology Center, with the help of cross-strait Sinology culture volunteers, has regularly carried out special activities such as Sinology into Campus, Sinology into Community (Rural) and Sinology Primary Class.

Chen Cuijuan, a Taiwanese compatriot who has lived in Pingtan for 9 years, is a member of the volunteer team. She often appears in primary Chinese schools such as Chengnan Village Charity Parent-Child Sinology Class, Ruyi Community, Taikang Community, etc., hoping to cultivate children's interest in traditional culture.

　　Under the new crown pneumonia epidemic, cross-strait non-governmental interaction and exchanges have never been interrupted. IM Cross-strait Youth Film Festival, Common Home Forum, Cross-strait Sinology Forum, Cross-strait Taekwondo Exchange Competition, Chorus Concert, Taiwanese Goods Tesco Festival and other activities have been held in Pingtan one after another.

　　Huang Jianbo, director of the Management Committee of the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone, said that Pingtan will achieve closer economic and trade cooperation between the two sides of the strait, more convenient personnel exchanges, and closer integration of people's hearts. The average annual growth rate of trade with Taiwan is more than 10%.

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