Expo-goers pose for a group photo with a red evening dress made with paper displayed during the first Cross-Straits Paper Art Industry exposition that kicked off in the port city of Xiamen, Fujian province on March 24. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first Cross-Straits Paper Art Industry exposition kicked off in the port city of Xiamen, Fujian province on March 24.

More than 100 paper-cutting artists alongside 150 businesses and colleges from the mainland and Taiwan participated in the event.

The expo, mainly composed of six sections, showcased a dazzling array of paper-cutting artworks created by cross-Straits artists in the field.

The items on display such as red evening dress, twelve Chinese zodiac animals as well as multiple-colored standup banquets, grabbed a lot attention from the expo-goers.

In addition to the expo itself, the activities including forums, lectures, competitions as well as some interactive games relevant to paper art were also be held on its sidelines.

The expo initiated the cross-Straits communication and exchanges in the paper art industry, said Hong Xinfu, a renowned paper-cutting artisan from Taiwan, calling on more artists from the mainland and Taiwan to engage in the promotion of Chinese paper-cutting across the world.

He also shared his affection with the traditional handicrafts at an early age. "Like many other people, I made my first toy with paper," Hong recalled, "At that time, I would like to give it a try of whatever that are possibly cut out of paper, ranging from a paper plane, paper boat to paper crane."

Feng Wei, a famous paper-cutting artist from the mainland held the same view as Hong. She hoped more people would fall in love with paper-cutting, becoming members of them.