A three-day training course for young people from Taiwan looking to cross the Strait to find a job or start a business got started in Pingtan, Fujian province, on March 21.

As economic growth on the mainland continues to outpace that of Taiwan's more sluggish economy, many young Taiwan residents are choosing to try their luck on the mainland. And Pingtan, the closest mainland city to Taiwan, is determined to be their destination of choice.

The island city has attracted 182 young Taiwan residents to take part in the activity, which is being held for the second time. The group includes 100 students from leading Taiwan universities such as Hsiuping University of Science and Technology and the National Taipei University of Business, and 82 budding entrepreneurs.

Pingtan will use the event as a platform for mounting a three-day charm offensive on the young visitors, introducing them to the preferential policies the city offers to new arrivals from Taiwan, as well as taking them on field trips to see its shiny new business parks, incubators, and cultural centers.

The training class, jointly sponsored by Pingtan Taiwan Innovation Park, China Haixia Talent Market's Pingtan branch and Fujian Cross-Straits Jinqiao Human Resources Co, is part of the Pingtan government’s plan to encourage Taiwan youth to seek employment or start businesses in the city. Other recent initiatives include signing cooperation agreements with Taiwan universities and a hiring drive targeted at high-end talent from across the Taiwan Strait.

Many of the participants seem receptive to Pingtan's overtures. Guo Chengwei, a young entrepreneur who runs the tourism website Guide me in Taiwan, said he wanted to seek cooperation opportunities in Pingtan.

"We want to launch the tourism platform on the mainland, and Pingtan, the closest city on the mainland to Taiwan, might be an excellent choice for us to run our business on the mainland," said Guo.

Lin Shijia, a Taiwan student, shared that she aimed to get to know the mainland through the activity.

She said she would like to land a job in Pingtan after graduation, considering the increasing economic and cultural cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Pingtan.

A group of young Taiwan residents tour Pingtan Administrative Service Center on their trip to Pingtan on March 21, getting to know its innovative and streamlined government services. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]