Pingtan People's Radio on FM98.5 broadcast on August 20 - for the first time since it was upgraded.

The station now boasts new advanced communication equipment, and its signal reaches a larger coverage area, including Haixia, a high-speed passenger ferry sailing between Pingtan and Taichung in Taiwan.

The radio station was set up in late 2012 in accordance to the "Common Homeland" concept, which aims to strengthen cross-Straits ties.

The station is the first and only one of its kind in Pingtan, and it soon had to tackle issues such as a lack of qualified staff.

The management recruited editors and DJs from around the country, and started to test the service in early June.

On July 13, the radio carried out a 24-hour live broadcast on typhoon Soulik and received positive feedback from the authorities and its listeners.

The programs air from 6 am to 12 noon, and includes content especially for Taiwan compatriots, such as stories about Taiwan business people and features about tourism attractions. Listeners can interact with the DJs on Weibo and WeChat and discuss various topics.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Niva Whyman