[Video/Ma Ying-jeou Foundation]

TAIPEI - A group of 37 teachers and students from five mainland universities arrived at the Taoyuan International Airport on Saturday, starting a visit to Taiwan for exchanges.

The group visit, led by the Party chief of Peking University Hao Ping, marks the first one made by mainland universities to the island for exchanges over more than three years.

At the invitation of the Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, the mainland visitors will have exchanges with their peers from universities on the island, including Taiwan University and Chengchi University.

Hao said this trip will promote friendship between young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and will advance cross-Strait exchanges in education and culture.

The group was greeted by Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, at the airport. Hsiao called for more interactions of young people, as the future across the Strait lies with the young generation.

According to the schedule, the trip will include stops in Taipei, Taichung, New Taipei, Hsinchu, and Hualien. The group will pay a visit to the TSMC Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu on Saturday afternoon.

From late March to early April this year, Ma Ying-jeou led a group of Taiwan students to the mainland and had discussions at three universities, during which Ma repeatedly expressed the hope that teachers and students from mainland universities could also go to Taiwan for exchanges.