At the June 10 State Council Taiwan Affairs Office press conference, a reporter asked:
The 18th Straits Forum is about to convene. Please introduce the progress of preparations. Which Taiwanese guests will attend this year’s Straits Forum?
State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang Han said in response that the main conference of the 18th Straits Forum will be held in Xiamen on June 13. Kuomintang Vice Chairman Chang Jung-kung and other representatives from various sectors in Taiwan will attend. At present, preparations for the forum are basically complete. The forum’s series of activities have already begun across Fujian, with four events held so far: the Taiwan Talent Xiamen Matchmaking Conference, the Straits People’s Forum, the Cross-Strait Dragon Boat Race, and the Common Homeland Forum. Nearly 1,000 Taiwanese compatriots have participated enthusiastically.
Zhang Han said this year’s forum continues to focus on and serve grassroots and youth groups, allowing the fruits of cross-Strait integrated development to benefit more compatriots on both sides. Activities cover a diverse range of fields, including grassroots governance, marriage and family, social welfare, sports competitions, folk religion, song and dance arts, financial technology, rural revitalization, agricultural and fisheries cooperation, and new media creation. The forum will also innovatively promote connections between the two sides in education, e-commerce, biomedicine, and small and medium-sized enterprises, protect the growth of children and teenagers, and help Taiwanese youth broaden their paths for employment and entrepreneurship. We warmly welcome compatriots from all sectors in Taiwan to cross the sea and gather together, renew friendships, share opportunities, pursue development together, and jointly create the future.