As part of the 16th Straits Forum, the 7th cross-Strait grassroots governance forum was held in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, on June 15. 

Over 300 representatives from grassroots-level areas and relevant sectors from both sides of the Taiwan Strait attended the forum and held in-depth exchanges on the digital development of rural areas. 

Su Hui, vice-chairwoman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, attended the forum's opening ceremony and delivered a speech. 

Noting that technology is transforming the world at an unprecedented pace, Su said rural areas, as a crucial part of society, are also experiencing tremendous opportunities brought by technology. In the progress of rural development on both sides of the Strait, technology is reshaping the landscape of villages in all aspects, making rural production more efficient, rural life more convenient, and injecting new vitality into rural development, she added. 

Su expressed her hope that participants would share their experiences and outcomes in developing rural areas empowered by sci-tech to explore new paths suitable for the vigorous development of rural areas, promote comprehensive rural vitalization, and contribute to the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. 

The grassroots governance forum, hosted by the Committee on Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC National Committee and the CPPCC Fujian Provincial Committee, has become a major sub-event of the Straits Forum.