Mainland visit concluded by youth delegation from Taiwan region
On March 28, they departed from Taiwan to take part in a cross-Straits Confucius cultural exchange event, during which they traveled to several locations, including Tai'an and Zaozhuang in the eastern province of Shandong.
TroibNews 
A group of 30 young individuals from the Taiwan region concluded their eight-day trip to Shandong province on Friday. They departed from Taiwan on March 28 and participated in a cross-Straits Confucius cultural exchange event, visiting notable locations, including Tai'an and Zaozhuang.
The delegation was led by Hsiao Hsu-tsen, the executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation in Taiwan. During their stay, they visited the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, where they paid homage to the ancient philosopher.
A participant from Taiwan shared with Xinhua that at the Confucius Temple in Taiwan, people commonly pray for success in exams and academic advancement. However, this time, he expressed his hopes to realize his aspiration of becoming a civil engineering technician.
Hsiao remarked that traditional sacrificial activities honoring figures like Confucius and the Yan Emperor serve as shared spiritual connections for people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, carrying significant emotional weight and playing an essential role in enhancing cross-Straits relations. He stressed that this cultural understanding illustrates the deep cultural ties that bind the two regions. “No matter how external forces may try to interfere, this inherent and close connection cannot be severed,” he asserted.
Coinciding with the Qingming Festival, the delegation also took part in a flower-wreath-presenting ceremony at the Taierzhuang War Memorial Hall in Zaozhuang. Hsiao and the youth participants laid flowers at a monument dedicated to the Battle of Taierzhuang, marking the first significant defeat of Japanese forces in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as a tribute to the war heroes.
They further explored a cross-Straits themed park in Taierzhuang. “Cross-Straits people-to-people exchanges are essential. The more the people understand each other, the more consensus and fewer misunderstandings there will be. Therefore, we continue to promote various exchanges,” Hsiao commented.
Throughout their visit, youth from both sides engaged in friendly interactions. Earlier this year, Hsiao had taken a group of approximately 40 Taiwan students to Beijing for cultural and sports exchanges. In late 2024, the foundation is set to welcome 40 students and faculty members from seven universities on the mainland to Taiwan, where they received a warm reception.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
The delegation was led by Hsiao Hsu-tsen, the executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation in Taiwan. During their stay, they visited the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, where they paid homage to the ancient philosopher.
A participant from Taiwan shared with Xinhua that at the Confucius Temple in Taiwan, people commonly pray for success in exams and academic advancement. However, this time, he expressed his hopes to realize his aspiration of becoming a civil engineering technician.
Hsiao remarked that traditional sacrificial activities honoring figures like Confucius and the Yan Emperor serve as shared spiritual connections for people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, carrying significant emotional weight and playing an essential role in enhancing cross-Straits relations. He stressed that this cultural understanding illustrates the deep cultural ties that bind the two regions. “No matter how external forces may try to interfere, this inherent and close connection cannot be severed,” he asserted.
Coinciding with the Qingming Festival, the delegation also took part in a flower-wreath-presenting ceremony at the Taierzhuang War Memorial Hall in Zaozhuang. Hsiao and the youth participants laid flowers at a monument dedicated to the Battle of Taierzhuang, marking the first significant defeat of Japanese forces in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as a tribute to the war heroes.
They further explored a cross-Straits themed park in Taierzhuang. “Cross-Straits people-to-people exchanges are essential. The more the people understand each other, the more consensus and fewer misunderstandings there will be. Therefore, we continue to promote various exchanges,” Hsiao commented.
Throughout their visit, youth from both sides engaged in friendly interactions. Earlier this year, Hsiao had taken a group of approximately 40 Taiwan students to Beijing for cultural and sports exchanges. In late 2024, the foundation is set to welcome 40 students and faculty members from seven universities on the mainland to Taiwan, where they received a warm reception.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
