The 2025 "Strait Cup" Cross-Strait University Baseball and Softball Games was held on July 8-11 in Pinghu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, promoting sports-driven exchanges between the mainland and the Taiwan region and fostering connections and understanding among young people.
The four-day tournament brought together over 300 players in 15 teams from 14 universities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. There were three divisions of baseball (A, B and C) and a softball category.
The first match was between teams from the Taipei University of Maritime Technology (TUMT) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). The TUMT team showcased strong capabilities, with many players having rich practical experience, as they started playing baseball in elementary school.
In contrast, most players of the SJTU team began their baseball journey after entering university. Yet, they demonstrated immense enthusiasm and showcased their skills gained from hard training.
After four innings, the SJTU team lost to the TUMT team, but the team members said that they benefited a lot from this cross-Strait exchange event. They said they had gained new insights into both the applications of baseball techniques and strategies, as well as an understanding of baseball culture.
Their excellent performance left a deep impression on the TUMT team. Beyond the fierce competition, the two teams have also forged friendship off the field.
"Players of the SJTU team actually exceeded my expectations, and their skills improved very quickly. We have friended each other on WeChat, and we might keep in touch later. We may meet up to chat and discuss not only baseball but also aspects of our lifestyles," said Guo Zhongyan, a player of the TUMT team.
After 18 thrilling matches, TUMT was crowned the A-Division baseball champions, alongside the winners of the other divisions -- East China University of Political Science and Law and Nanjing Tech University's men's team. Nanjing Tech University's women's team claimed top honors in the softball competition.
The TUMT team defeated the Xiamen University team with a score of 8:1 in the A-Division finals. Although the Xiamen University team did not emerge victorious, the players fought hard throughout the match, putting significant pressure on their opponents.
"There is pressure, but it also has its positive side. Our Xiamen University team is like a spring. The more pressure there is, the higher it bounces back. As you can see, the more pressure we encounter, the stronger we become when beating back. As the saying goes, 'One becomes stronger when facing stronger opponents.' Facing tough opponents helps us up our games," said Zhang Keqiao, a player of the Xiamen University team.
The event was held at the newly opened Xujiadai International Baseball Stadium. The state-of-the-art venue, spanning 12,500 square meters with 1,000 permanent seats, made its successful debut and is poised to become a regional hub for future international baseball events.
Over the past few years, Pinghu, a county-level city under the administration of Jiaxing, has focused on establishing a cultural exchange brand for cross-Strait youth baseball and softball events in the Yangtze River Delta, taking relevant competitions as the carrier.
Since 2019, the city has held over 20 cross-Strait baseball and softball events, involving more than 8,000 participants from Taiwan, including both players and businesspeople. Beyond the field, the participants also explored Pinghu's rich cultural heritage and urban development through visits to Mo's Manor, the city museum, and its industrial clusters.
"Besides cross-Strait sports exchanges, I think other forms of exchange, like the visits, attract me better than the sports themselves," said Cao Junyang, a coach of the TUMT team.
The participants also gained an in-depth understanding of the city's industrial development, through their visits to Pinghu's emerging automotive technology hub and a Taiwan-funded enterprise.
"I think Pinghu is a beautiful place with very good industrial development. So, I think it's quite suitable for university graduates to come here and pursue their careers," said Ou Yunhao, a student of the TUMT.
Baseball games promote cross-Strait college students exchange
