Pingtan, China's second international tourism island after Hainan, lies off Fujian province and is the closest mainland point tothe island of Taiwan. As a key pilot zone for cross-Straits integration and a major hub for cultural exchange, it hosted the 17th Straits Forum's Academic Forum on Austronesian Culture on June 17.

The event was attended by Jiang Liping, a member of the CPPCC Standing Committeeand vice chair of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government LeagueCentral Committee, Li Dejin, vice chairman of the Fujian Provincial People's CongressStanding Committee, and other dignitaries from national cultural heritage agencies and Pingtan's administrative leadership.

Jiang Liping emphasized that research into Austronesian cultural roots "not only reveals the evolution of a pluralistic Chinese civilization, but also engraves the deep affection between peoples on both sides of the Straits in the annals of human history."

Li Dejin pointed out that Austronesian peoples are one of the most widely distributed cross-border groups globally, and their culture represents "a shared treasure of human civilization." He invited experts from both sides to "explore the origins of civilization" and enhance archaeological collaboration.

Xie Bing, deputy director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, noted that "Austronesian origins and dispersion are gaining increasing interest internationally," calling for more scholarly exchange to strengthen cultural heritage integration.

Pingtan's party committee secretary Lai Jun welcomed participants and highlighted the island's proactive research into Austronesian culture, its vibrant dialogue platforms, and its efforts to deepen cultural identity among cross-Straits communities.

The forum attracted over 200 scholars from across the Straits. It featured keynote speeches, academic presentations, and roundtable discussions under the theme "Tracing Roots, Sustaining Heritage."