Xiamen holds 4th Cross-Straits College Students' Forum

The Fourth Cross-Straits College Students' Forum was held at Xiamen University on June 22-23. Attended by nearly 300 scholars and college students from Taiwan and the mainland, the one-and-a-half-day forum included sub-forums on politics, economics, history, literature, law and cross-Straits relations.

The forum is one of the largest cross-Straits academic activities for college students. It provides a platform for students to exchange opinions, make friends and improve their academic performance.

Chan Yin-wai, a student from Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, said the experience of being an exchange student at Renmin University in Beijing broke down many of the negative stereotypes he previously had about the Chinese mainland.

"Young people from both sides of the Strait share the same culture. I got along very well with students from the Chinese mainland," Chan said.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Chinese mainland establishing non-governmental relations with Taiwan.

Scholars also stressed that youth exchanges play an important role in promoting cross-Straits ties.

"The foundation of cross-Straits relations lies in the people, and our hope in youth," said Liu Guoshen, dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University.

Yang Yizhou, vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, which represents Taiwan residents living on the Chinese mainland, expressed his wish for closer exchanges and understanding between youth from both sides of the Straits.