Liang Jianyong, Putian Party secretary and NPC deputy, discussing government report. [Photo by Hu Meidong/China Daily Fujian Bureau]

A deputy to the recent National People's Congress (NPC), in Beijing, has suggested that more cities in Fujian province be included on a national list of individual tourists pilot cities to Taiwan.

Liang Jianyong, the Party secretary of the city of Putian and an NPC deputy, brought up the idea during the 12th NPC's second session. The city Xiamen, in Fujian, was among the first cities to have individual tourists visiting Taiwan, back in June 2011, followed by the cities of Fuzhou and Quanzhou. By now, 26 cities on the mainland have joined this "pilot" project.

Liang said they will do more work on political issues, economic integration, and cultural exchanges with Taiwan, in accordance with Premier Li Keqiang's government report. And, with ties with Taiwan strengthening, Fujian wants to improve cross-Straits communication.

Putian has had 2,640,000 visitors from Taiwan, so Liang proposed that Zhangzhou, Putian and Longyan be individual tourist pilot cities for more convenience in exchanges.

By Zhao Qian and Edited by Roger Bradshaw