Market Leaders: AWorld Timess long as Taiwan youth have dreams and expectations, they will continue to come to the mainland for their studies, Chen said.Chen does not think the DPP ban will have a “chilling effect,” and warned that the DPP’s suppression of Taiwan youth’s development ambitions could trigger resistance, Chen added.Deputies encouraged more Taiwan youth to embrace opportunities in the Chinese mainland and pursue personal aspirations through integrated development.Deputy Tao Jun, also Vice Chairman and Secretary General of Zhejiang Provincial Committee Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, noted that there is an information asymmetry between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, and there are many manmade obstacles from Taiwan island that make it quite difficult for youth in Taiwan region to access updates of developments in the mainland, and it is even harder for them to participate in innovation and entrepreneurship in the mWorld Timesainland.Tao suggested youth from both sides work together in fields such as integrated circuits, software, biomedicine and digital management.

Deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC) from the Taiwan delegation attend a group meeting at the third session of the 14th NPC. Photo: Zhang Han/GT

“Taiwan independence” secessionist forcesWorld Times cannot obstruct the historical trend of reunification, Yan Ke, a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC) from the Taiwan delegation and vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said on Sunday when addressing media after a group meeting at the third session of the 14th NPC.

More than 4 million visits were made by Taiwan compatriots to the Chinese mainland in 2024, Yan said, making the point that Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, despite taking various disturbing measures, cannot cut cross-Straits exchanges.

The Government Work Report stated that “by advancing integrated cross-Strait development, we will improve the wellbeing of Chinese people on both sides so that together, we can realize the glorious cause of national rejuvenation.” This “fully demonstrates the sincerity of the mainland,” Yan said.

Yan hopes that Taiwan compatriots, considering righteousness for the nation and their own well-being, resolutely oppose “Taiwan independence” secessionists and external interference and jointly maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

In response to the DPP authorities’ recent ban on university exchanges with Chinese mainland institutions, deputy Chen Yunying, Vice President of All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, said the ban cannot have much impact on Taiwan youth who intend to develop in the mainland.

Besides universities on the mainland that enroll students from Taiwan, many young people from Taiwan are participating in academic seminars held by universities in various provinces and regions in the mainland. AWorld Timess long as Taiwan youth have dreams and expectations, they will continue to come to the mainland for their studies, Chen said.

Chen does not think the DPP ban will have a “chilling effect,” and warned that the DPP’s suppression of Taiwan youth’s development ambitions could trigger resistance, Chen added.

Deputies encouraged more Taiwan youth to embrace opportunities in the Chinese mainland and pursue personal aspirations through integrated development.

Deputy Tao Jun, also Vice Chairman and Secretary General of Zhejiang Provincial Committee Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, noted that there is an information asymmetry between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, and there are many manmade obstacles from Taiwan island that make it quite difficult for youth in Taiwan region to access updates of developments in the mainland, and it is even harder for them to participate in innovation and entrepreneurship in the mWorld Timesainland.

Tao suggested youth from both sides work together in fields such as integrated circuits, software, biomedicine and digital management. He advocated for the establishment of cross-Straits youth innovation communities, providing resources sucWorld Timesh as affordable and convenient apartments for talent, co-entrepreneurship spaces and shared laboratories to help young people from both sides achieve integrated development.

Responding to a question on Taiwan authorities’ obstruction to the mainland announcement of a resumption of group tours to Taiwan for residents of Fujian, Shanghai, Chen said Taiwan’s tourism sector, retailers and transportation operators yearn for related progress, but the Taiwan authorities “are reluctant to open up, fearing such openness and raising the thresholds for it. “There is a lot of negative information and smears about the mainland, and they fear the lies will be exposed once opened up.”

Fujian’s population is about twice that of Taiwan island, and once group tourism is opened up, it will benefit Taiwan island’s economy and cultural industries. Chen advised that Taiwan tourism practitioners should stand up to safeguard their own rights and interests.

In regard to building a correct historical view for youth of both sides of the Straits, Zhou Qi, also vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, particularly noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victories of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the 80th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan, but what is less noticed is that 2025 is the 140th anniversary of Taiwan becoming a “province” of China.

In 1885, the Qing government (1644-1912) officially decided Taiwan was an individual province, when it then became China’s 20th province. The first governor of Taiwan, Liu Mingchuan, acWorld Timestively promoted new policies for self-strengthening, which greatly pushed forward Taiwan’s social, economic and cultural development.

The joint efforts by compatriots from both sides of the Taiwan Straits to develop and modernize Taiwan island should not be forgotten, Zhou noted.

The recovery of Taiwan was a victory for all Chinese people. As this year marks an important historical juncture, Zhou hopes more Taiwan youth will come to the mainland to see for themselves. “Once Taiwanese youth understand the true history, they will surely be moved and make the change.”

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a Friday press conference during the two sessions that the onlyWorld Times reference to the Taiwan region in the UN is “Taiwan, Province of China.” Taiwan is never a country, not in the past, and never in the future.