Organized by the Taiwan Affairs Office of Gansu Province, the visiting activities of the “Culture and History Camp for Chinese Children and the Silk Road Tour of Taiwan Students” held in Gansu province from July 23 to July 31 aim to enhance young generation’s understanding of Chinese culture and history and provide them with the opportunity to experience the culture of the northwest China. Yok Mu-ming, Chairman of the Taiwan’s New Party, served as the leader of the visiting groups, and nearly 100 teachers and students from more than 30 colleges and universities of Taiwan, Lanzhou University and Northwest Normal University participated in the activities. In the nine-day trip, the students on both sides appreciated the unique ethnic customs and rich cultural heritage of the west China by visiting cities like Lanzhou, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang along the Silk Road, and sceneries like Yellow River, Wuwei Temple, Western Xia Museum, Buddhist Temple in Zhangye, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes.
LZU held a welcoming ceremony to welcome the 80-member visiting group of the “Culture and History Camp for Chinese Children and the Silk Road Tour of Taiwan Students” led by the Taiwan New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming at the Auditorium of Feiyun Building on July 25. Wang Zhiwei, deputy inspector of the Liaison Office of Taiwan Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, Zhao Shaozhi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of Gansu Province, Wang Cheng, president of LZU, and Pan Baotian, president of LZU attended the ceremony which was presided over by Pan Baotian.
On behalf of LZU, President Wang Cheng made the welcome speech at the ceremony. He outlined the history, schooling characteristics, strategic status, and the profile of exchanges and cooperation between Lanzhou University and colleges and universities in Taiwan, and stated that LZU would continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan universities by deepening reform and opening wider to the outside world.
Zhao Shaozhi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of Gansu Province, spoke highly of this event and reviewed exchanges and cooperation in various fields between Taiwan and Gansu province, hoping young students on two sides would enhance mutual understanding through a series of activities of the Silk Road Tour.
Yok in his speech talked about the purpose of the Camp, namely, helping Taiwan’s young people to gain an in-depth understanding of the culture and history of the Chinese nation as well as the Silk Road. Yok pointed out that the camp members were students from more than 30 colleges and universities of Taiwan and 3 teachers with many years of teaching experience, and teachers would share relevant knowledge with the students, tell the fact that the Taiwanese students should remember as Chinese sons and daughters, and teach students to think independently. With many years of life experience, Yok asked three questions to students on both sides: the difference between scholars and teachers, how to understand the culture and civilization, and how to see the future trends of the cross-straits relations.
In the ceremony, participants watched the LZU promotion video and photos of “Caring for Young Children and Their Growth - Volunteer Service Activities of Students from Taiwan and Gansu in 2013”, which helped them learn more about LZU and its exchange activities with Taiwan.
After the ceremony, the delegation visited the LZU library. Yok wrote on the spot four Chinese characters with the writing brush “Shu Ren You Cheng” which meant great achievements in cultivating people, praising LZU for its fruitful results in education for the past one century.
Taiwan’s New Party, established in 1993, plays a key role in the political arena in Taiwan. The New Party headed by Yok Mu-ming holds high the banner of reunification, calling for that “both mainland and Taiwan are the Chinese territory.” This is the first visit to LZU of leaders of political parties in Taiwan, which will help Taiwan politicians know more about LZU, Gansu province as well as the northwest China, further upgrade LZU’ communication with Taiwan, enrich the visiting personnel from Taiwan, deepen the identity of motherland for the compatriots on both sides, and promote the peaceful cause of reunification.
(Translated by Li Yafeng; proofread by Sissi Xu)
