Cai said that the city has been strengthening its connection with the world, establishing links with more than 400 ports in over 100 countries and regions.

In 2016, Guangzhou Baiyun airport accommodated nearly 60 million passengers and the number is expected to reach 80 million by 2020, wedging itself into one of the world's 10 largest airports.

Guangzhou also offers a platform for global innovators and entrepreneurs with its 8-million-square-meter incubator for tech companies and more than 120,000 startups, said Cai.

Guangzhou vice-mayor Cai Chaolin invites Taiwan-based enterprises to seek opportunities in Guangzhou in his speech at the promotion event, Taipei, Taiwan, on May 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Statistics reveal that more than 3,100 Taiwan-based enterprises invest in Guangzhou, investment toting up to $14.36 billion, with some 20,000 Taiwan people live in the city as of March this year.

In the first quarter, Guangzhou-Taiwan trade reached $970 million, up 14.97 percent compared with the same period last year.

Recalling the fond memory of his first visit to Guangzhou on March 28, 2005, Chiang Pin-kung, former president of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation, said he was deeply impressed by the passion of Guangzhou residents.

"Guangzhou and other cities in Guangdong province are top choices for Taiwan business people to settle down in the Chinese mainland," Chiang said. "They have largely been supported by the Guangzhou government and benefited from Guangzhou's robust growth."