In order to deepen the social and cultural exchanges between Fujian and Taiwan and promote the integrated development of natural and cultural fields, the exchange meeting between Ningde Global Geopark and Matsu Geopark was held at the Ningde Forestry Bureau on December 11. 30 representatives from the Matsu Geopark Association and members of the Ningde Global Geopark Administrative Committee discussed and deliberated on the development of the geopark.

    At the meeting, Huang Xiaoying, director of the Municipal Forestry Bureau and director of the Administrative Committee of Ningde Global Geopark, made a speech, briefly introducing the basic situation of "Mountain and Sea in Ningde", and sincerely thanking the delegates for their valuable suggestions during the inspection. She also hoped that this would be an opportunity for both sides to establish a long-term stable cooperation mechanism, coordinate resources on both sides of the strait, jointly address challenges in the fields of cultural heritage protection and natural environment governance, and build a solid foundation for the better development of geoparks in both places, so as to promote the prosperity and development of culture and tourism on both sides of the strait. Zhuang Shunfu, president of the Matsu Geopark Association, said that the two places were separated by only a river, and such exchanges greatly enhanced the friendship between Ningde and Matsu, deepening the integration of Fujian and Taiwan culture. In the future, they would continue to strengthen exchanges and jointly promote the protection and development of geoparks.

Mao Lingyun, senior engineer of the Provincial Geological Survey Institute, introduced the regional geological overview, main relic features and values of Ningde Global Geopark to the participants. Zheng Hongqi, secretary of the Matsu Geopark Association, introduced the Matsu Geopark from the aspects of location, topography, folk festivals and landscape composition.

Finally, the Administrative Committee of Ningde Global Geopark and the Matsu Geopark Association signed a strategic cooperation agreement, which will strengthen work exchanges, carry out comprehensive cooperation, implement resource sharing, establish liaison institutions, and make joint efforts to promote the protection, management, planning, construction, scientific research and popularization of the park, so as to achieve the sustainable development of the geopark through pairing and integration.

Before the meeting, representatives of the Matsu Geopark successively inspected the "fairy land on the sea" Taimushan with "steep peaks, strange rocks, secluded caves, and magical fog", the Baiyunshan with the wonder of the Hufu Cave for hundreds of millions of years, and the Baishuiyang with the spectacular flat bedrock riverbed. They experienced the folk customs of the "people and fish enjoying themselves together" in Liyuxi for eight hundred years, and had a direct feeling of the natural scenery and construction management of the Ningde Global Geopark, and also deepened their understanding of the local customs and practices of Ningde.

Ningde and Matsu are very similar in geography, customs and traditions, and can complement each other and achieve win-win cooperation in natural heritage protection. This event, with the geological park as a link, will promote cross-strait cultural identity through exchanges and mutual learning, and discuss cross-strait integration and development, which will further promote the integration and development of Fujian-Taiwan cultural tourism at a deeper and higher level.