Taiwanese Students Visit Beijing, Highlighting Cross-Straits Exchange and Understanding

A Delegation of Taiwanese Students Visits Beijing

A group of nearly 40 Taiwanese students, led by Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, embarked on a four-day visit to Beijing in November 2024. This marked the foundation's first student exchange delegation to mainland China in 2025.

The visit focused on winter sports activities, historical and cultural heritage, and cutting-edge technology. The students visited Beijing's Winter Olympic venues, participated in winter sports experiences, and attended the Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival. They also explored cultural landmarks such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the Temple of Heaven.

Additionally, the students visited the cross-Straits science and technology innovation center and Xiaomi's automotive mega-factory to witness advanced technological developments. They also immersed themselves in trendy IP culture at Pop Mart's urban park.

This visit reflects the prevailing sentiment in cross-Straits relations, where people on both sides seek exchange, mutual understanding, and openness. Professor Zheng Jian of Xiamen University's Taiwan Research Institute emphasized that this sentiment serves as a strong rebuttal to the current DPP-led Lai Ching-te administration's efforts to hinder such exchanges.

The visit by the student delegation is seen as an important initiative to strengthen mutual understanding and recognition between the youth on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Professor Zhu Songling of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University believes that young people represent the potential for the development of cross-Straits relations.

Despite the DPP-led administration's attempts to hinder cross-Straits tourism, the visit by the student delegation demonstrates the continued desire for exchange and understanding between the youth of Taiwan and mainland China.