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