Bazaar blends cross-Strait flavors

The sizzle of Taiwan sausages and the nostalgic aroma of Fuzhou fish balls filled the air in Guixi community as a lively Chinese New Year bazaar unfolded in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province.

Guixi is a dedicated cross-Strait neighborhood, and the event, which began on Friday, featured more than 50 booths set up outside Fuzhou's main residential complex for Taiwan compatriots. The bazaar offered a one-stop sensory journey through shared Spring Festival traditions, as a growing number of Taiwan residents choose to spend the holiday on the Chinese mainland.

For Zhou Jia-sin, a Taiwan native, the bazaar was a chance to share a "taste of home" passed down through generations. Working alongside her father — a Kaohsiung native who shifted from the electronics industry to the culinary trade — Zhou sold handcrafted sausages made with a closely guarded family recipe.

"My father started this because he missed the flavors of his hometown while doing business on the mainland as a young man," Zhou said. Her family now operates six stores in Fuzhou.

She said the family's New Year's Eve dinner table reflects their roots: Taiwan sausages represent her father, while Fuzhou's signature lychee pork honors her mother, a local resident.

That sense of "completeness" was echoed by Lin Szu-shan, who served bowls of Fuzhou-made fish balls at the market. In Chinese culture, the round shape of fish balls symbolizes reunion.

"When we gather for the reunion dinner, fish balls are essential," Lin said, noting that his products are now supplied to restaurants located as far as Sichuan province and Shanghai as Spring Festival approaches.

Beyond food, the bazaar functioned as a year-end gathering for a growing number of Taiwan compatriots choosing to build lives in Fujian.

Huang Wan-ting, a Taiwan-trained medical service provider, said she found her calling in Fuzhou through community work. She helps fellow residents navigate medical insurance and hospital visits.

"I wanted to step off the island of Taiwan and experience different customs on the mainland," Huang said. "Fujian is the first stop for many of us."

Huang is preparing to move into the community's dedicated apartments for Taiwan compatriots, which offer favorable rent. "Living here, I feel no different than being at home," she said.

Guixi community is Fuzhou's first to provide public rental housing specifically for Taiwan compatriots and currently houses more than 500 residents. Through pilot shared-governance programs, residents are encouraged to take leading roles in management and volunteer work.

Chen Wenjing, director of the Guixi community neighborhood committee, said the goal is to build "a landmark, integrated community that serves as a warm and supportive shared home".

The trend of young Taiwan compatriots spending Spring Festival on the mainland is gaining momentum. According to the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, more than 1,000 Taiwan youths participated in holiday exchange activities across the mainland in late January alone.

Statistics show that cross-Strait visits reached 5.45 million in 2025, up 23.6 percent year-on-year. First-time visitors from Taiwan to the mainland jumped 34.6 percent to 306,900.