More than 180 officials and business people from Guangzhou and their Taiwan counterparts attend the roadshow of Global Fortune Forum held in Taipei on May 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Cross-Straits relations have been strengthened as Guangzhou promoted the Global Fortune Forum in Taipei, Taiwan on May 15.

More than 180 officials and business people from Guangzhou and their Taiwan counterparts attended the event and shared their views on having open perspectives and an innovative approach.

It's the seventh roadshow launched by host city Guangzhou, the Guangdong province capital, to invite global CEOs of the world's most important multinational companies and world leaders.

"Guangzhou has long established trading ties with Taiwan," said Guangzhou vice-mayor Cai Chaolin. "With more than three decades of development, bilateral cooperation has been demonstrating a rapid and steady growth. Companies including Shinkong Group, Quanta Computer and Bank of Taiwan have opened operations and settled in the city."

So far, a total of 288 Fortune Global 500 companies have invested in Guangzhou. About 120 of them have established their headquarters or regional headquarters in the southern Chinese city.

Cai said Guangzhou is open to opportunities and that the forum will be a platform for Taiwan investors to explore them.

In the past six years, Guangzhou has been listed as the "Best Commercial City in Chinese Mainland" by Forbes magazine five times.

President Xi Jinping also mentioned Guangzhou in his keynote speech at the Leaders Roundtable of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 15 in Beijing.