The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Exposition and the 25th Cross-Strait Fair for Economy and Trade opens in Fuzhou on May 18. [Photo provided to gofujian.com.cn]

The sixth 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Exposition and the 25th Cross-Strait Fair for Economy and Trade opened on May 18 in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province.

The expo is themed "Expanding Maritime Silk Road Cooperation and Sharing Development Opportunities" and "Deepening Cross-Strait Integration and Building the First Home" as Fujian is striving to become the "first home" for Taiwan residents and enterprises who want to establish roots on the Chinese mainland.

The 120,000-square-meter exhibition area is divided into 19 themed exhibition areas, including the China-Indonesia Expo for Economy and Trade zone, the Guest Country of Honor and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Economic and Trade Cooperation Exhibition Area, and the Belt and Road Achievements and Boutique Exhibition Area.

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, the expo organizers have invited Indonesia and Argentina to be the guests of honor, and will hold high-level economic, trade and cultural exchange activities such as the 2023 RCEP Economic and Trade Innovation Cooperation and Development Forum and the China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks" Open Development Dialogue.

During the event, experts and scholars from home and abroad will carry out in-depth exchanges on topics like economic and trade innovation cooperation and development, and the high-quality development of the China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks" project.

The expo will also feature a series of industrial development and economic and trade exchange activities, the 21st Century Maritime Cooperation Committee "Fungus Technology" Special Seminar, the third "ThreeTea" Integration High-Quality Development Conference, and the 2023 Global Investment Promotion Conference.

Fuzhou's geographical advantages, policies, humanistic and good investment environment have attracted many businessmen from home and abroad to invest and set up their business.

Over the past 20 years, companies like TPV Electronics, Southeast Auto and other major foreign trade companies have been set up in Fuzhou. In addition, industrial parks such as the China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks", the Fuzhou Taiwan Investment Zone, and the Fujian-Taiwan (Fuzhou) Cultural and Creative Industry Park have been established in the city, an indication that the city has become fertile grounds for foreign investment.

In the first quarter of this year, Fuzhou welcomed 200 new high-quality industrial projects with a total investment of 64.3 billion yuan ($9.14 billion).