The old town of Zhouzhuang, in Jiangsu province, has become a sort of cultural bridge connecting the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, by making full use of its advantages and providing convenient travel services for Taiwanese businessmen.

Zhang Weiqing, the vice-GM of the local Jiangsu Water Township Zhouzhuang Tourism Co, explained that Zhouzhuang will make use of its advantages to develop a travel platform for greater cross-Straits cultural contacts and communication.

The town in fact has many Taiwanese elements and has been attracting more than 100,000 Taiwanese business and other people each year for travel purposes. Zhang says he hopes more Taiwanese will be coming to experience the interesting folk culture of the old town, where they have reproduced the traditional style of living style among 3,000 local people.

It has also been promoting greater cooperation in the cultural tourism industry, between Kunshan, which Zhouzhuang is belong to, and Taiwan. In Feb 2013, Taiwan's Cross-Straits Sightseeing and Tourism Association visited Zhouzhuang to discuss the cooperation and the delegation praised the town's activities for cross-Straits cultural tourism development.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw