A mainland delegation of 40 students and teachers, including table tennis superstar Ma Long, received a warm welcome at Taiwan University on Tuesday during their nine-day visit to the island.
Fans of Ma gathered at the university gate early in the morning to wait for the delegation's arrival. They erupted in cheers when Ma appeared, chanting, "Captain Long, we love you." Six-time Olympic champion Ma Long has served as the captain of the Chinese national table tennis men's team since 2014.
"I am very excited. I thought I was going to be late, and my heart was racing with anxiety," said a fan who skipped work to welcome Ma.
After the excitement of Ma's arrival, teachers and students from both sides of the Taiwan Strait held a symposium, with President of the Taiwan University Chen Wen-chang and Head of the mainland delegation Qiu Yong delivering speeches and exchanging gifts.
Invited by the Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, the delegation, consisting of 40 mainland students and teachers, arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Nov 27.
The mainland students and teachers are from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhejiang University, Fujian Normal University and Beijing Sport University.
Olympic shooting gold medalist Yang Qian from Tsinghua University is also in the delegation.
This is the second such visit planned by the foundation. In 2023, faculty members and students from five mainland universities were warmly received across Taiwan, positively impacting cross-Strait relations.
In 2023 and 2024, Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, also led youth groups from Taiwan on visits to the mainland.
China's table tennis icon Ma Long welcomed by excited crowds in Taiwan
