Chen Yen-yow, who works for a futures trading firm in Taipei, is packing more than just a change of clothes to attend a forum across the Taiwan Straits.

He will also be taking a raft of questions to ask at the second Straitss Forum, which opens Saturday in Xiamen.

Chen, a twenty-something, has been invited to attend a gathering of Chinese mainland and Taiwan youth, one of the events at the forum.

"I want to take part in discussions about economic and trade issues. I want to know more about the mainland's latest preferential policies towards Taiwan business," said Chen before boarding his flight on Friday.

"I hope to talk with people from various backgrounds and maybe I can get some inspiration for developing my own career," he said.

More than 10,000 Taiwan people are to attend the forum from June 19 to 25, and 80 percent of them are members of the public from Taiwan's trade unions, women, youth, culture, sport, business and farmers organizations.

"For business, Taiwan and the mainland each have advantages. We need more opportunities to sit down and discuss how to work together," Chen said.

"If the two sides want to find a political solution for their future, we have to start from exchanges in the economic and cultural sectors.

"An individual needs to exchange ideas with other people so that you can improve yourself. The forum will be a very good opportunity," he said.

Chen worked in the mainland for a trade company for two years after graduating from college. He returned to Taiwan in 2009.

"I changed to my current company because financial business in Taiwan was promising as the two sides signed a memorandum on cooperation in banking, securities and insurance business," he said.

On the same flight was Wu Ming-hsien, who wanted to discuss with young mainlanders ways to improve understanding.

"I think we young people can do something concrete. Unlike older generations, we are more alike. There will be fewer barriers," he said.

Wu said his employer was understanding in giving him leave. "It will be good for young people to know more about the mainland as someday you may have to do business with them."

Kevin C.L. Chen, secretary-general of the Taipei-based Sheen Chuen-Chi Cultural and Educational Foundation, also left for Xiamen Friday morning.

Although a regular visitor to the mainland, he still has plans for the Straits Forum.

"The forum offers a good platform to meet mainland friends that share the same ideas. Once we agree on some programs, we can initiate them effectively," he said.

His foundation has been working to promote cultural cooperation across the Straits.

"The United States has Hollywood. India has Bollywood. Why not a 'Huallywood' across the Straits?" he asked. "Since we belong to the same Chinese culture, the two sides should jointly promote it to the world."

Taipei lawyer Hsu Wun-pin considered his trip to Xiamen a journey home.

"My family moved from Fujian to southern Taiwan in the 17th Century. In the family cemetery at Tainan, we still have a stele with the inscription of the name of our hometown on the mainland," he said.

Five years ago, he visited Fujian and found his ancestral home in a small township of Xiamen.

"Many Taiwan people, especially in southern Taiwan, are descended from people from southern Fujian. We are brothers and sisters. So folks should visit each other more frequently," he said.