Ma will lead a delegation of Taiwanese youth to visit the cities of Harbin in the northeast and Chengdu in the southwest on a nine-day trip from December 18, according to official announcements from both sides.
Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that Beijing welcomes the visit and “will make proper arrangements for all activities”.
“Young people on both sides carry the future and hope of cross-strait relations. We hope that compatriots on both sides, especially young friends, will engage in frequent exchanges and interactions … and work hand in hand to foster cross-strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields,” Zhu said.
The announcement of Ma’s trip came just days after a group of students and faculty from mainland universities, including two Olympic champions, finished a nine-day trip to Taiwan at the invitation of Ma.
