A news conference on the fourth Fenghua Cross-Straits Peach Blossom Marathon is held on March 24 in Fenghua district, Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/zj.zjol.com] 

The fourth Fenghua Cross-Straits Peach Blossom Marathon will kick off on March 24 in Fenghua district, Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, according to a news conference held by the organizing committee on Feb 26. 

The event, featuring a marathon, a half marathon and a 12-kilometer happy run, will see the participation of more than 8,000 people from 25 provinces and municipalities in 17 countries with peach flowers blooming along the roadside. 

The organizing committee has, as usual, encouraged participants from Taiwan to strengthen the cross-Straits ties and has arranged a special run for those from Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.

The marathon is now a new name card of the district that helps promote the local peach blossom culture and tourism among people from across the world.