XIAMEN/TAIPEI,scene adegan lucah Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A joint fireworks display lit up the night sky on Wednesday in Xiamen, a coastal city on the Chinese mainland, and Kinmen, as both sides celebrated the Chinese New Year.
Starting at 8 p.m., nearly 50,000 fireworks were launched simultaneously from the beaches of Xiamen, Fujian Province, and Kinmen, a small island located just off the mainland.
The 30-minute display was divided into several themed sections on both sides, featuring elements that highlighted the Spring Festival and cross-Strait ties.
Hong Tzu-i, a native of Taiwan's Chiayi County who now lives in Xiamen, arrived hours earlier with her daughter to secure a vantage point for the spectacle.
"I'm very happy to bring my daughter to watch the display. The sight of fireworks from both sides lighting up the night sky in perfect sync is breathtaking and deeply moving," she said.
"The emotions brought by the joint fireworks display across the Strait are hard to put into words. I hope this tradition can continue every year," said a Taiwan resident who watched the display in Kinmen.
"People on both sides of the Strait are, after all, one family, and we should cooperate and develop together for a better future," he added.
The joint fireworks display, a cherished Chinese New Year tradition since 1987, underscored the deep bonds between the mainland and Taiwan.
Xiamen and Kinmen are less than two kilometers apart at their closest point. Once a front line of military confrontation, the two places have now become a hub for cross-Strait exchanges.
In 2001, an initiative was launched to allow for direct trade, postal services, and transportation between the mainland and Kinmen and Matsu islands.
In 2024, the Xiamen-Kinmen passenger ferry route under the initiative saw an 81 percent year-on-year increase in passenger traffic, with total inbound and outbound travelers exceeding 1 million -- over 90 percent of whom were Taiwan residents.
"The tradition of setting off fireworks together during the Spring Festival has become a shared New Year celebration for Xiamen and Kinmen," said Chen Chengdu, vice president of the Kinmen compatriots association in Xiamen.
"People from both sides frequently interact and share a deep friendship," Chen said.
Fujian is working to establish itself as a demonstration zone for cross-Strait integrated development. As a key part of these efforts, Xiamen has introduced various measures to attract Taiwan residents and help them feel at home.
After graduating from a prestigious mainland medical school, Hong moved to Xiamen in 2008, where she built her career as a dentist and started a family. She has also been recognized by the city as a 'specially appointed Taiwan professional' and receives subsidies for her expertise in key sectors.
"Both of my children go to school here. Life is good, and we consider this city our home," she said.