People from both sides of the Taiwan Straits came together on Friday to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, in the cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen in east China's Fujian Province.
The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar to commemorate ancient Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan (about 340-278 BC). The festival falls on May 31 this year.
On the eve of the festival, a night market in Xiamen was transformed into a stage where young participants from both sides of the Taiwan Straits performed songs, storytelling and poetry recitations that all share the same cultural roots.
Adding to the festive atmosphere was a fair where the young people tried on silk flowers, lacquer fans, and sugar paintings that blend tradition and culture of southern Fujian with modern creativity.
"In Taiwan, we celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in the same way. Watching performances, singing, and dancing here today brings a deep sense of homecoming," said Chen Ruijie, a young man from Taiwan.
Also on Friday, a celebration was held in Fuzhou to mark the traditional festival, featuring activities such as food tasting and performance that not only show the rich heritage of Chinese culture, but also help deepen cross-Strait ties.
"Traditional culture is a spiritual bond connecting both sides of the Taiwan Strait. We hope this event can help strengthen mutual understanding between people from Taiwan and the mainland," said Wang Yangyang, an official from the Gulou District Center for promoting cultural and ethical progress.
People from both sides of Taiwan Straits jointly celebrate Dragon Boat Festival
Residents living in Canada's biggest city of Toronto have expressed optimism that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China can unlock new economic opportunities, particularly in key fields such as artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
Carney is set to arrive in China on Wednesday to begin a four-day visit at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, marking the first trip by a Canadian prime minister to China since 2017.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Carney during his stay to provide new strategic guidance for further improving and developing China-Canada relations.
Giving their assessment of the significance of the visit and the outcomes they hope to see achieved, local people in Toronto pointed to the importance of deepening cooperation and view the high-tech sector as one of the most pivotal areas where ties can be enhanced.
"I think, of course, China is probably the leader in AI and new technologies. So, I think Canada can really benefit from Chinese expertise on some of the chip manufacturing or just the use of AI in the medical field, in every other finance field and everything. So, I think this can be very important for Canada to learn from China," said Raman, the provincial liaison manager at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
"I think it is a good idea to strengthen relations with other countries and other trade partners that have been probably more consistent. And especially with things going on in electronics right now and chip manufacturing, I do think that it makes sense at this point in time to be reaching out to China," said Jen, a local nurse.
Some see Carney's visit as an opportunity to broaden the economic agenda in various other key areas.
"I'm actually pretty looking forward to it because they could talk a lot about trade. That could be a good opportunity for Canada and China to explore some other export opportunities on energy, and also, maybe pipeline building, infrastructure building, and also, real estate investment and agriculture," said Xiong Lulu, an equity research analyst.
Looking ahead, many residents emphasize that much depends on whether Carney's visit can translate into concrete agreements.
"It would be nice. I hope there's some kind of good relationship between China and Canada. That would be like a great opportunity that we would miss if we didn't create that relationship with them. So, hopefully, in hindsight, [in] 2026 it does happen," said John, a software developer.
"I think if they can settle some trade deals, that will be great. So, I think it will be great for the Canadian economy," said Xiong.
President Xi and Carney last met on the sidelines of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in October, with both sides agreeing to resume exchanges and cooperation in various fields and jointly advance the development of the China-Canada strategic partnership.
Toronto residents optimistic about Canada-China cooperation prospects
