Visitors and residents are enjoying a range of food, specialties and creative products from Taiwan at a street fair in Haicang district in the city of Xiamen for an ongoing event from June 12 to 16.

This year's fair, part of the seventh Straits Forum in the southern Fujian city of Xiamen, has more than 200 exhibition booths, 120 of them selling Taiwan's traditional foods and 40 showcasing souvenirs. Other booths are displaying southern Fujian's local cuisine.

Despite the first day's overcast sky and constant drizzle, the square was crowded with visitors. Vendors used posters and played Taiwan pop music to keep their guests entertained.

Chen Fu-ming, a member of the Taiwan Cross-Straits Gourmet Association, said the fair boosts cultural and economic exchanges and is a good opportunity for mainland people to get to know the authentic food and culture of the island.

"Visitors can try various dishes and buy noted products from Taiwan," he said, adding that the food on sale at the fair, including hot stuffed dumplings, wrapped cakes and fried preserved cabbage, were some of the most popular items in Taiwan's famous night markets.

A 53-year-old vendor surnamed Wu from Taiwan's Nantou county, said he heard last year's fair was very popular with local people of Xiamen so wanted to join this year's event to promote the "alcohol sausages" he sells that are a specialty from Nantou.

Wu said he was considering cooperating with Taiwan food companies in Xiamen to introduce his products further to Xiamen and start his business on the mainland.

A Xiamen resident surnamed Lin said although he has never been to Taiwan, the street fair offered him a good chance to enjoy authentic Taiwan food.

According to Ni Chao, deputy mayor of Xiamen, Taiwan exhibitors at the fair are all from the most famous night markets in Taiwan, including the Shilin and Raohe Street markets in Taipei, Fengjia Night Market in Taichung, Liouhe Night Market in Kaohsiung and Keelung's Temple Night Market.

Ni said this year's fair also featured Zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, as it is tradition to eat Zongzi to celebrate the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 20.

In addition to food, other attractions at the fair include Fujian-Taiwan folk culture performances and a cross-Straits fashion show.

[email protected]