Ma Ying-jeou visits Hunan University

Ma Ying-jeou (center L) speaks during a discussion between a group of students from Taiwan led by him and faculty members and students of Hunan University at the National Supercomputing Center in Changsha, a data computing institute located in Hunan University, in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 2, 2023. Ma Ying-jeou led a group of Taiwan students to Hunan University on Sunday morning. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

CHANGSHA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, led a group of Taiwan students to Hunan University on Sunday morning.

Ma and other guests visited the thousand-year-old Yuelu Academy on the campus, a prestigious ancient academy that was founded in 976 and became part of Hunan University.

They then reviewed the history of the Chinese people fighting the Japanese aggression at a former site where a ceremony to accept Japanese invaders' surrender in parts of the Hunan Province was held in 1945.

At the National Supercomputing Center in Changsha, a data computing institute located in the university, about 60 students across the Taiwan Strait communicated with each other, having heated discussions about carrying forward the Chinese culture and other topics, including employment and starting businesses.

The people in Taiwan and on the mainland share the same culture and ethnic identity, Ma said, noting that it is vitally important that both sides of the Strait adhere to the one-China principle.

"It is hoped that based on this precondition, efforts will be made to reduce estrangement and hold sincere exchanges across the Strait," Ma said.

Ma Ying-jeou (7th L, front row), leading a group of students from Taiwan, poses for a photo with faculty members and students of Hunan University at the National Supercomputing Center in Changsha, a data computing institute located in Hunan University, in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, April 2, 2023. Ma Ying-jeou led a group of Taiwan students to Hunan University on Sunday morning. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)