Spring Festival winter camp opens for Taiwan youth

A winter camp featuring Spring Festival activities and tours across the Chinese mainland opened for Taiwan youth in Beijing on Friday.

The opening ceremony organized by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots was held at the Taiwan Club in Beijing on Friday morning.

Ji Bin, vice-chairman of the federation, said during the ceremony that the federation will continue to seek welfare and create opportunities for young people from Taiwan, and act as a "close friend" and a "guide".

He hoped that young people from Taiwan will join hands with their peers from the mainland and be brave to join the journey of the mainland's progress in modernization.

About 500 young people from Taiwan will participate in the winter camp, which will include Chinese customs experiences, exchange activities, and tours in mainland provinces, and will last until the end of February.

Visits will take place in northern cities to experience the snow scene and in the south to experience local customs. They will also learn about the mainland's progress in economic and social development through the trips.

Participants are encouraged to make videos recording their experience during the camp.

This is the 29th edition of the camp, which was first held in 1989 to promote cross-Straits exchanges. It has attracted more than 7,000 Taiwan youth to join since then.

On Friday afternoon, a gathering activity was held in Beijing for Taiwan participants of the winter camp to welcome the Spring Festival together. They wrote New Year couplets, made dumplings, and participated in paper-cutting and other folk customs.