Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, and members of a Taiwan youth delegation pose for a group photo with teachers and students at the Peking University in Beijing, capital of China, April 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, visited Peking University in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon, along with a youth delegation from Taiwan.

"To promote cross-Strait exchanges between students is the most important original intention of my visit, and is also the goal of my efforts," Ma said during his visit to the university.

Ma added that he also hopes the young people from both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan can pass on the spirit of Peking University to strive in peace and to revitalize China together.

The visit is expected to further promote the in-depth exchanges between universities on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan universities, as well as people from all walks of life in Taiwan, said Hao Ping, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Peking University Committee.

Peking University was the first university on the Chinese mainland to recruit students from Taiwan. Currently, there are more than 260 students and 16 teachers from Taiwan studying and working at Peking University, as well as many exchange students, visiting professors and visiting scholars from Taiwan, according to Gong Qihuang, president of Peking University.

At present, Peking University has established exchange and cooperation relationships with 17 universities and academic institutions in Taiwan, and has launched student exchange programs with seven Taiwan universities, Gong added.

Members of a Taiwan youth delegation led by Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, pose with teacher and student from the Peking University for a group photo after exchanging gifts at a dining hall of Peking University in Beijing, capital of China, April 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)