The 2025 Taiwan Cultural Expo Brand Exhibition and Black Tide Starland opened grandly on May 5th at the South Harbor Exhibition Hall 1. Minister of Culture Li Yuan attended the opening ceremony of the Black Tide Starland exhibition area and delivered a speech. This year, the Brand Exhibition of the Cultural Expo has moved to the Taipei South Harbor Exhibition Hall, gathering 426 companies and over 650 brands and IP contents from 10 countries and regions, totaling 932 booths. The number of international exhibitors has increased two-fold compared to last year, with over 60 international buyers coming to Taiwan, and it is expected to hold over 360 matchmaking sessions. Li Yuan quoted Beatrix Potter, the author of 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit', saying, 'There is nothing more like a real paradise than returning the mind to the state of childhood.' He said that if one's heart can always remain like a child, then one is actually in paradise. He expressed his excitement about coming to the Cultural Expo, and if one day he is not the Minister of Culture, he would devote himself to working on IP. The 'Black Tide Starland Exhibition Area' is composed of original Taiwanese IP characters funded by the Black Tide Project of the Ministry of Culture. It originated from last year's Black Tide Project 'Taiwan Image Character IP Brand Development Competition', selecting 34 IP character brands, including popular characters such as Miji Cat, Taiwan Bar, PPmini, and Jimmy. The Cultural Policy Institute also planned 'IPOP-UP! Taiwan IP Potential Cultivation Specialty Store', showcasing how 12 IP characters can be used in multiple ways and develop across domains to create long-term cultural business opportunities. The 2025 Taiwan Cultural Expo will take place from today until the 11th. The cultural curation will be held at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, and the Brand Exhibition will start today at the South Harbor Exhibition Hall.