A screen shot of Wang Shang-kee, founding chairman of the Taipei Artist Agency Association, speaking at the cross-Straits performing arts cooperation forum, part of the Third Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit, held in Beijing on Monday

Well-known Chinese mainland artists like Zhang Linghe and Liu Yuning, who enjoy immense popularity in the island of Taiwan, will be invited this year for performances, seminars and other activities in Taiwan to promote cross-Straits cultural exchanges, head of an artist agency association based in Taiwan said on Monday in Beijing, Chinanews.com reported.
 
At the cross-Straits performing arts cooperation forum, part of the Third Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit held in Beijing on Monday, Wang Shang-kee, founding chairman of the Taipei Artist Agency Association, said that people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits share the same cultural roots, language, and emotional ties, giving them a natural and profound cultural resonance that is difficult to sever.

Wang noted that mainland film and television productions, including Silent Honor and Pursuit of Jade, have become important windows through which young people in Taiwan can better understand the lifestyle, views on marriage and relationships, and the broader social landscape of the mainland. Through such works, people on both sides of the Straits are also able to better recognize their differences, learn from one another, and gradually deepen mutual understanding and identification.
 
Zhang Linghe and Liu Yuning have gained popularity in Taiwan thanks to their performances in the historical dramas Pursuit of Jade and Yield to You, respectively.

Mainland artists such as Zhang and Liu enjoy tremendous popularity in the Taiwan region, and any news about them quickly draws widespread public attention and enthusiasm, said Wang, adding that the strong cultural grounding demonstrated by mainland artists is something Taiwan's entertainment industry could learn from.
 
He said that this year, the association will continue stepping up efforts to promote cross-Straits cultural exchanges by making efforts to invite well-known mainland artists to Taiwan for performances, collaborative forums, fan signings, and other activities.

Commenting on the mainland TV dramas gaining popularity on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, Zhang Han, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference in April that the phenomenon demonstrates the unique role that film and TV productions can play in narrowing the psychological distance between compatriots on both sides of the Straits. 
 
We have consistently support 'two-way engagement' between film and cultural circles across the Taiwan Straits and welcome mainland artists traveling to Taiwan for exchanges and meetings with local residents, Zhang said. 

People on both sides of the Taiwan Straits share the same roots, language, and cultural heritage, and cultural resonance is the most natural bond connecting hearts and minds. We will continue creating favorable conditions for cross-Straits cultural exchanges and cooperation, support more frequent interactions among artists and young people from both sides, and use culture as a bridge to enhance mutual understanding and foster closer emotional ties, Zhang said.