Sanming, May 14 (Xinhua) — "The introduction of the new policy has given us greater confidence in the future development of the forestry and grassland industry on the mainland," Taiwanese businessman Lin Xiuying, who is engaged in camellia oleifera and daylily cultivation in Sanming City, Fujian Province, told reporters on May 14.

The "new policy" Lin Xiuying referred to is the "Several Measures on Supporting Fujian in Exploring a New Path for Cross-Strait Integrated Development of Forestry and Grassland," (referred to as the "18 New Benefit Measures for Taiwan") issued by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on May 11.

Sanming is located in the central-northern part of Fujian and is the mainland's ** cross-strait modern forestry cooperation pilot zone and cross-strait rural integrated development pilot zone. With a forest coverage rate of 77.12%, it is known as "China's Green Capital."

Lin Xiuying, born in Hualien, Taiwan, came to Jianning County, Sanming City in 2002 with his wife, carrying his elders' entrustment, to realize his dream of becoming prosperous through agriculture. He introduced Taiwanese planting models, intercropped camellia oleifera in daylily fields, established a camellia oleifera professional cooperative, and led more people to develop the camellia oleifera industry; the current planting area exceeds 100,000 mu.

"The 18 new benefit measures for Taiwan provide concrete support for Taiwanese compatriots and enterprises in Fujian to participate in the development of forestry specialty industries, and also point out the direction for the development of their own businesses." Lin Xiuying has now established six planting bases in Sichuan, Guizhou and other places, and is "looking for new bases and planning to expand the planting scale."

In Yong'an, Sanming, known as "China's Hometown of Bamboo Shoots," post-80s Taiwanese youth Lin Yida has completed his transformation from engineer to "new farmer." Recognizing Yong'an's abundant moso bamboo resources, he introduced international food processing technology to give local bamboo shoots richer varieties and textures to meet diversified market demands. He combined the flavor of Taiwanese braised pork rice with bamboo shoots to develop a "Taiwanese side dish" series — including Taiwanese-style braised bamboo shoots, Taiwanese-style hot and sour bamboo shoots, and Grandma's pickled cabbage bamboo shoots — which has been warmly received by the market.

In Lin Yida's view, the successive introduction of benefit measures for Taiwan has provided more opportunities for Taiwanese compatriots and enterprises to develop on the mainland. Optimistic about the prospects of the mainland's bamboo shoot industry, he is planning to expand the factory and build the company into an influential supplier of ready-to-eat products and prepared dishes in the bamboo shoot sector.

The continuous stacking of benefit policies and measures for Taiwan has also made Li Qiuyin, a "second-generation Taiwan compatriot" in this hot land of cross-strait integrated development, "feel especially fortunate." Two years ago, she came to Sanming to take over the business of her father-in-law Jian Wentong, managing a cherry blossom garden of more than 2,000 mu. She believes that cross-strait forestry exchange and cooperation have already formed an all-round, wide-ranging and multi-level development pattern, and that the pace of integration is becoming increasingly rapid.