Official urges more efforts to boost cross-Strait exchanges

Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, called on Monday for more youth exchanges across the Taiwan Strait based on the 1992 Consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence", as he leads a youth delegation on his second visit to the Chinese mainland.

On Monday afternoon, Ma arrived in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, where he met with Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

During the meeting, Song conveyed the cordial greetings of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, to Ma.

Ma thanked Xi for his greetings.

Song emphasized that compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese and must adhere to the 1992 Consensus and resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" and interference from external forces.

He said that efforts should be made to actively promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields, jointly promote Chinese culture and enhance the kinship and welfare of compatriots across the Strait.

Song emphasized the need to promote the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations, steadfastly advance the great cause of the motherland's reunification and work together for national rejuvenation.

Ma said that compatriots on both sides of the Strait are bound by blood and closely related.

He said that on the political basis of the 1992 Consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence", there should be a strengthening of exchanges and cooperation in various fields between the two sides, especially among the young people, to promote the development of cross-Strait ties.

On the first day of their mainland trip, Ma and 20 young people from Taiwan visited the offices of technology giants in Shenzhen, including the world's top drone manufacturer DJI and internet heavyweight Tencent, both headquartered in the technology hub in South China, to learn about their most important cutting-edge products.

Ma and the delegation spent about 25 minutes at DJI's office, where he showed keen interest in aerial drones and smartphone stabilizers.

Accompanied by Luo Zhenhua, president of DJI, who was born and raised in Taiwan, Ma experienced the subject-tracking function of the intelligent smartphone stabilizer. Several members of the delegation also tried this feature for taking selfies at the scene.

In the evening, Ma and the delegation watched a large-scale outdoor drone performance at Shen-zhen Talent Park, against the backdrop of the city's skyline.

On Tuesday, Ma's delegation will visit the Museum of Dr Sun Yat-sen, the renowned Chinese revolutionary and statesman, in Zhongshan city, and arrive in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong, later in the day. The delegation's trip is scheduled to last through April 11.