The fifth annual Cross-Straits Cultural Industries Fair, the largest in the event's history, opened in Xiamen on Friday and will last until Oct 29.

Known as the CSCIF, this year's fair has attracted more than 600 culture, entertainment, TV and movie companies from Taiwan seeking business opportunities with their mainland counterparts, according to the fair's organizing committee. The fair's theme this year is inheriting history and creating the future.

Held in Xiamen's International Conference and Exhibition Center, the fair covers 60,000 square meters, which is 20,000 sq m more than last year. It features a total of 3,000 booths for exhibitions, making it the largest in the fair's history.

This year's exhibition area is divided into 10 sections, including the Cities' Thematic Image Area; the Radio, Television and Film Area; the Animation and Online Gaming Area; the Intangible Cultural Heritage Area and the Cultural Park Area.

Fujian will be highlighted in displays of the province's top 10 cultural companies.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Ye Kedong, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the fair, as an important platform for communications between the cultural and creative sectors of the mainland and Taiwan, will lead to prosperity in the cultural industry and market on both sides of the Straits as well as promote Chinese culture on the international stage.

New features

This year's CSCIF has five new features.

First, it was upgraded to the national level. In July, it was announced that the event would be sponsored by several national bodies, including Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio, Television and Film, and the General Administration of Press and Publication.

According to the CSCIF organizing committee, this year's event aims to become a famous cultural industry brand as influential as the Beijing International Cultural and Creative Industry Expo and China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair.

The second feature of this year's fair is that more top-notch companies are participating.

This year, the organizing committee has made specific plans to invite important cultural firms and State-owned enterprises.

Some 30 top companies in the cultural and creative industry, including China Mobile Ltd, China Telecom Corp Ltd, the Poly Culture Group, the China Film Group Corporation and the China Arts and Entertainment Group were among the list of attendees.

During the fair, China Mobile, the world's biggest mobile carrier by subscribers, will host a series of activities showcasing its mobile cartoon and mobile reading programs.

The Poly Culture Group will not only bring projects related to performing arts but also present a variety of precious artifacts, including a 18th Century Qianlong porcelain vase and animal head sculptures of an ox, monkey, tiger and pig, which are replicas of the lost treasure of Yuanmingyuan, also known as the Old Summer Palace.

Participation by leading companies in the cultural and creative industry proves the fair has enhanced its influence and popularity, said Huang Qiang, deputy mayor of Xiamen.

The third feature of this year's fair is that the content is more diversified.

There is a new exhibition area focusing on digital and new media art. Creative works of digital imaging will be on display, showcasing the glamour of blending culture and technology.

For the first time, the fair will introduce an award of excellence for such handicrafts as ceramics, pottery and woodcarvings.

In addition, because the fifth Xiamen International Animation Festival and the eighth Cross-Straits Folk Art Festival are being held at the same time as the fair, activities of both festivals were added into the program list of CSCIF, which means participants can not only watch exhibitions and attend forums on cross-Straits cultural exchanges but also enjoy film screenings, cosplay and folk performances.

The fourth feature is its enhanced scale.

Last year, there were 14 sites hosting branch exhibitions. The figure this year has grown to 19.

One of the sites, Xiamen Wuyuan Bay's Cultural Demonstration House, will host a Buddhist-themed cultural relic exhibition, unveiling high-profile pieces, such as a stele engraved with a thousand Buddhas of the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618) and an armless jade sculpture of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), which is known as "the oriental Venus."

This year's enhanced scale is reflected especially by the number of participants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The number of exhibition booths run by attendees from Taiwan has reached 750. The exhibition area of enterprises from Macao covers 225 square meters. Both are record numbers.

It is noteworthy that Mei Ah Entertainment Group Limited, a major media distribution company in Hong Kong, made its first appearance at this year's fair.

Also making its debut are iconic porcelain products from France's Limoges city, which will be displayed in the exhibition area of Famous International Artworks.

The fifth feature is updated and detailed services. The CSCIF organizing committee will help ensure investment projects match the needs of investors and project operators.

In collaboration with China Mobile, the organizing committee will provide China Mobile's subscribers with first-hand information on the fair through cell phone messaging.

Clearance of goods as well as security and food sanitation have also been improved during the event.

Launched in 2008, the CSCIF has evolved into a comprehensive cultural industry exhibition and a cultural trade and investment platform.

It has played a vital role in promoting cross-Straits cooperation in the cultural industry and supporting the development of economic and cultural sectors. Last year, contracts signed during the fair amounted to 36 billion yuan ($5.8 billion).

Contact the writers at humeidong@chinadaily.com.cn and sunli@chinadaily.com.cn.