XIAMEN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The main conference of the 11th Straits Forum was held Sunday in the port city of Xiamen, Fujian Province, to boost grassroots exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

More than 10,000 people from Taiwan attend the week-long forum, a record high, according to the organizer.

Of all participants from Taiwan, some 40 percent attended the forum for the first time and young people made up half of the participants.

Featuring 67 interactive activities across the province, the forum is also expected to explore new ways of integrated development across the strait.