The Cross-Straits Youth Festival kicked off in Fuzhou, capital city of East China's Fujian province on Aug 12, local media reported.

Firstly held in 2013, the festival which celebrates its sixth edition this year, has become an important platform for communication and exchanges between young people across the Strait.

According to a press conference held last week, the event shall see 1,573 youth, including about 902 from Taiwan take part in the 23 activities including forums and field tours held in Fuzhou in five days.

Hang Dong, vice mayor of the Fuzhou municipal people's government revealed that Fuzhou, in recent years, has been taking a leading role in advancing cross-Straits ties among young people.

On the basis of its geographical proximity and cultural similarities with Taiwan, the city has devoted great efforts?in deepening people-to-people exchanges across the Strait, he said.

According to Hang, Fuzhou houses five national or provincial level bases and exchange centers that aim to boost the links with Taiwan. Thirty-seven events it hosts around the year have been listed by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council as key cross-Straits exchange programs. To date, over 3,600 Taiwan youth have sought employment or started businesses in the city.