E China city gobbles up Taiwanese snacks

NANCHANG - About 500,000 residents and tourists have tasted Taiwanese snacks on the first Taiwan Street in East China's Jiangxi province since it opened in mid-July, according to statistics from the city's Taiwan Affairs Office.

To promote development and exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, Jiangxi province built up its first Taiwan Street in July, located in Qiushui Square, one of the most popular entertainment hubs in Nanchang, provincial capital of Jiangxi.

The first batch of 40 stalls offering over 180 kinds of Taiwanese snacks has opened on the street, said Yang Xiang, director of the office's publicity department.

"Besides expanding the mainland's market, the street is also aimed at promoting exchanges on Chinese food culture and strengthening mutual understanding between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan," Yang said.

"The daily sales volume has risen to 700 yuan ($110) from just 200 yuan one month ago," said Chu Shu-yuan, a man from Ali Mountain, Taiwan, who runs a barbecue stall on the street.

"I roast the meat in the traditional ways that the Gaoshan nationality in Taiwan mostly use, and I brought this roasting slab from Taiwan in order to retain the Taiwanese flavors as much as possible," Zhu added.

According to Yang, the street differs from similar Taiwanese food streets in other mainland cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Fujian, as all the snacks here must be made by local people from Taiwan.

Eventually, 500 varieties of snacks will be available on Taiwan Street, and local authorities are planning to establish similar streets in other parts of the province.