Taiwan students visit mainland amid tensions

Young people from Taiwan visit the home appliance giant Haier during a cultural exchange trip in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Saturday. (Photo provided to China Daily)

A group of 30 young people from Taiwan are visiting Shandong province on a cultural exchange trip amid increasing cross-Strait tensions triggered by the recent secessionist actions of Taiwan authorities.

"As tensions across the Taiwan Strait grow, exchanges are even more crucial," said Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, the Taiwan-based foundation that organized the trip.

The group will engage with university students in Shandong, participate in a Confucius memorial ceremony, and visit historical and cultural sites, according to Hsiao, who is leading the delegation.

The visitors climbed Taishan Mountain on Monday and encountered a robotic dog carrying items up the mountain, sparking curiosity among the students who eagerly took photos with the robot, he said.

Since this year marks the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the group will also visit the memorial hall of the Battle of Tai'erzhuang — which occurred in 1938 — to honor the fallen soldiers and reflect on the value of peace, he said.

The visit came after Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te recently outlined 17"strategies" to counter so-called "threats" from the Chinese mainland. These include raising public awareness about "risks" associated with mainland travel and limiting cross-Strait exchanges.

Hsiao condemned Lai for using administrative measures to restrict cross-Strait exchanges, limiting people's freedoms and rights and referring to the mainland as an "external hostile force", thereby pushing the Strait toward a dangerous situation.

He said recently he has received numerous expressions of concern from the public, who feel anxious and even pessimistic about cross-Strait relations.

Despite pressure from the authorities led by Lai, the foundation will continue to promote cross-Strait dialogue, Hsiao said.

"Only through communication can the hearts of people on both sides be brought closer, reducing divisive sentiments and potentially avoiding conflicts or even war," he said.

Earlier this year, Hsiao led a group of about 40 Taiwan students to Beijing for cultural and sports exchanges. In late 2024, the foundation invited 40 students and faculty from seven mainland universities to Taiwan.

On Monday, Hsia Li-yan, vice-chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, the opposition party in Taiwan, led a group to attend the 2025 Yellow Emperor Worship Ceremony in Xinzheng, Henan province. The ceremony celebrates Huangdi, the cultural ancestor of the Chinese nation.

During a meeting with officials from Henan on Sunday, Hsia said that compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the Chinese nation, sharing a common cultural heritage and vision as descendants of the same origin.

The KMT is willing to adhere to the 1992 Consensus, fully leverage its role as a bridge and continuously strengthen cooperation between Taiwan and Henan, to further enhance the well-being of people on both sides, and promote peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, he said.