A small building statue made of rice grains is displayed at the 2019 Cross-Straits Folk Culture Festival at Huahai Park in Fuzhou, capital city of Fujian province on Feb 17. [Photo/Xinhua]

The 2019 Cross-Straits Folk Culture Festival opened at Huahai Park in Fuzhou, capital city of Fujian province on Feb 17.

The two-day festival, which celebrates its eleventh edition this year, consists of a string of activities including folk custom performances, traditional handicrafts display, food fiesta and intangible cultural heritage exhibitions from both sides of the Strait.

The event, listed as a key cultural project by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, aims to promote the cross-Straits cultural exchange and cooperation.

Fujian, located in the Southeast part of the mainland, is closely linked with Taiwan, not just by the narrowness of the ocean channel, but also by blood ties, common language and folk customs. Statistics show roughly 80 percent of Taiwan residents are of Fujian origin.