More Taiwan compatriots travel to mainland for Dragon Boat Festival celebrations

Compatriots from across the Taiwan Strait gather at the Fuzhou Taiwan Hall in Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, a historic site in downtown Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Thursday to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. [Photo by Zhang Yi / chinadaily.com.cn]

Passenger volume on cross-Strait ferry routes is expected to reach 23,000 trips during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a 21 percent year-on-year increase, as more Taiwan compatriots travel to the Chinese mainland to celebrate their shared cultural heritage.

To ensure smooth travel during the holiday peak, maritime authorities have scheduled 10 additional ferry crossings. Customs terminals in Xiamen, Fujian province, have also been decorated with traditional mugwort and festive zongzi, or sticky rice dumplings, to welcome arriving Taiwan compatriots.

At Fuzhou South Railway Station, a festive event was held on Thursday that combined Dragon Boat Festival customs with genealogical culture. Through interactive exhibition boards and surname-themed stamps, the event attracted traveling Taiwan compatriots and highlighted cultural connections across the Strait.

Among the participants was a Taiwan traveler surnamed Liu, who was heading to Xiamen with four companions after completing a trip to the Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island in Putian, Fujian. He took part in the activities at the station.

"Both sides of the Strait are one family, and we also welcome mainland compatriots to visit Taiwan," Liu said.