During the festival, folks try out Taiwan traditional handicrafts. [Photo/Xu Yan for gofujian.com]

On Dec 7, the 28th China (Shaxian) Snack and Tourism Culture Festival and the 2nd Cross-Strait Food Carnival were held in Shaxian district of Sanming city in East China's Fujian province.

The event drew visitors nationwide to enjoy delectable snacks and to enhance cross-Strait relationships.

Featuring 27 activities in culture, cuisines and governance, the festival welcomed over 700 participants from Taiwan.

Leveraging Shaxian's role as a cross-Strait exchange hub, the event emphasized cultural food exchanges between both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

At a Shaxian Fujian-Taiwan inn, alongside traditional Taiwan treats like winter bamboo shoots cakes and pineapple cakes, innovative culinary creations were showcased.

Staff fused Shaxian's famous peanut butter with Taiwan cuisine, crafting crispy peanut butter egg rolls and combining pineapple cakes with peanut butter, seamlessly blending flavors that enticed visitors.

"We have developed a range of 'peanut butter+' specialty dishes tailored to local preferences, with a positive market reception," noted the inn's manager, underscoring the shared culinary legacy of Fujian and Taiwan.

"We hope compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Strait can use this festival as an opportunity for increased exchanges, much like how peanut butter and pineapple cakes come together to create stronger connections," the manager added.

Additionally, cross-Strait snack-making experiences attracted the participation of 1,000 folks. With over 600 Taiwan compatriots, everyone eagerly learned how to make wontons and steamed dumplings, Shaxian's signature dishes, guided by local instructors.

As freshly made wontons and steamed dumplings were served, guests from both sides of the Taiwan Strait savored the delicious treats and engaged in casual conversations.

Through food as a medium, hearts on both sides of the Taiwan Strait came closer together in this shared moment.

Data showed that in the four days since the event's opening, Shaxian received 497,200 visits, generating about 337 million yuan ($46.32 million) in tourism revenue.

Foreign guests and cross-Strait guests experience making steamed dumplings together. [Photo/Xu Yan for gofujian.com]