In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

A group of 40 Chinese college students and faculty members have arrived in
Taiwan for a nine-day trip at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation.

Foundation C-E-O Hsiao Hsu-tsen is describing the the visit as an exciting
event at a time when the cross-strait relationship faces challenges ..

.. and say he believes that no matter how dire the cross-strait situation,
youth exchanges can help establish a common dialogue between the two sides
and can help improve relations.

Hsiao is also thanking the government for allowing the visit to take place.

The Chinese students will visit six universities while in Taiwan as well as
the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung where the foundation says
it plans to give them "a taste of Taiwan's baseball culture."

The delegation is made up of students from seven Chinese universities and
includes six-time Olympic table tennis champion Ma Long of the Beijing Sport
University, and 2020 Tokyo Olympic shooting gold medalist Yang Qian, who
studies at the Tsinghua University.

The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation is dismissing claims by D-P-P lawmaker Puma Shen
that the students are visiting Taiwan to engage in propaganda campaigns ...

... saying the D-P-P should be more open-minded to cross-strait interaction
as this is the best way to safeguard Taiwan.