英语新闻丨KMT's Ma visiting mainland

Ma Ying-jeou, the former chairman of Taiwan's main opposition party, Kuomintang, will begin his second visit to the Chinese mainland on Monday, accompanied by a group of young people from Taiwan.

4月1日，台湾主要反对党国民党前主席马英九将在一群台湾年轻人的陪同下开始第二次访问中国大陆。

Analysts from both sides of the Taiwan Strait said the visit will promote youth exchanges and foster peaceful development.

海峡两岸分析人士表示，此访将促进青年交流，促进和平发展。

Ma's 11-day itinerary includes participating in the Qingming Festival Memorial Ceremony for the Yellow Emperor, who is regarded as the nation's ancestor, in Shaanxi province, an event that analysts say carries special significance. 

马英九为期11天的行程包括参加在陕西省举行的清明祭祀黄帝大典，分析人士称这一活动具有特殊意义。

The Yellow Emperor holds deep emotional significance for Chinese people around the world, and reverence for ancestors is a traditional Chinese virtue, said Li Peng, head of the Graduate Institute for Taiwan Studies at Xiamen University. Whether it was his return to Hunan province last year to pay respects to his ancestors at his grandfather's tomb, or his participation in honoring the Yellow Emperor this year, Ma has demonstrated strong and fervent feelings for the Chinese nation, Li said. 

厦门大学台湾研究所所长李鹏表示，黄帝对于世界各地的华人有着深厚的情感意义，崇敬祖先是中华民族的传统美德。无论是去年回湖南祭祖，还是今年参加祭黄帝活动，马英九都表现出了强烈而炽热的中华民族感情。

His actions also demonstrate that compatriots on both sides of the Strait belong to the Chinese nation, tracing their roots back to the Yellow Emperor, he added, sharply contrasting with the separatist "Taiwan independence" forces on the island.

他用行动证明了海峡两岸同胞是一家，都是黄炎子孙。与岛内“台独”分裂势力形成了鲜明对比。

Last year, Ma, 73, visited the mainland around the time of the Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day. He led 28 Taiwan students to visit Nanjing in Jiangsu province, Wuhan in Hubei province, Changsha in Hunan, Chongqing, Shanghai and other places over 12 days. After the trip, the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation invited students and teachers from five mainland universities to visit Taiwan, allowing young mainlanders to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan and thereby enhancing mutual friendship between young people.

去年，73岁的马英九在清明节前后访问了大陆地区。带领28名台湾学生历时12天，参观了江苏南京、湖北武汉、湖南长沙、重庆、上海等地。此行结束后，马英九基金会邀请大陆五所大学的师生来台访问，让大陆青年更深入地了解台湾，增进青年之间的相互友谊。

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, director of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, said the reciprocal visits demonstrated the effectiveness and importance of youth exchanges across the Strait, which could increase friendship between young people and lessen the likelihood of conflict.

马英九基金会理事长萧旭岑表示，两岸青年互访展示了两岸青年交流的有效性和重要性，可以增进青年之间的友谊，减少冲突的可能性。

Li said that through setting an example with his actions, Ma hopes to inspire more young Taiwan people to regularly participate in cross-Strait exchanges. Only through communication and interaction can a more authentic and comprehensive understanding of the mainland be gained, he said. Li added that it is through such exchanges that one can genuinely perceive the goodwill and sincerity of the mainland in promoting peaceful and integrated development across the Strait.

李鹏表示，马英九希望通过自己的行动，带动更多台湾年轻人定期参与两岸交流。只有通过沟通和互动，才能更真实、更全面地了解祖国大陆。才能真正感受到大陆推动两岸和平融合发展的善意和诚意。

After Ma's second visit to the mainland was announced, Taiwan society expressed its support, believing it will help ease tension in cross-Strait relations, reflecting the island's mainstream support for cross-Strait exchanges and peaceful development.

马英九第二次访大陆消息公布后，台湾社会纷纷表示支持，认为这有利于缓解两岸关系紧张局势，体现了岛内主流对两岸交流与和平发展的支持。

KMT "legislator" Lai Shyh-bao said that tense cross-Strait relations meant that someone needed to engage in communications with the mainland, and Ma's visit would help reduce mutual hostility, Taiwan media reported.Lai also urged the island's Democratic Progressive Party authorities to encourage goodwill exchanges between both sides, saying that the DPP cannot engage in dialogue with the mainland and should not hinder others from doing so.

据台湾媒体报道，国民党国民党“立委”赖士葆表示，两岸关系紧张，需要有人与大陆进行沟通，马英九的到访将有助于减少双方的敌意。赖士葆还敦促民进党当局鼓励双方进行善意交流，并表示民进党不能与大陆进行对话，也不应该阻碍其他人这样做。

A commentary published on the website of the Taiwan-based China Times said that to ensure peace between both sides of the Strait, it is most important they show goodwill toward each other.

台湾《中国时报》网站发表评论称，要确保两岸和平，最重要的是彼此展现善意。

Given the current tense cross-Strait situation and the upcoming inauguration of Lai Ching-te of the DPP as Taiwan "president", as long as Ma's visit helps both sides dispel hostility, the DPP authorities should welcome it, it said.

鉴于当前两岸局势紧张，加上民进党赖清德即将就任台湾“总统”，只要马英九来访有助于双方消除敌意，民进党当局就应该欢迎。

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said compatriots on both sides of the Strait are one family and should naturally have more frequent interactions.

国台办发言人陈斌华表示，两岸同胞是一家人，自然应该更加频繁地交往。

Based on the political foundation of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence", the mainland welcomes political parties, groups and individuals from Taiwan to frequently visit the mainland for exchanges, jointly promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, safeguarding the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait, and benefiting compatriots on both sides, he said.

在坚持1992年共识、反对“台独”的政治基础上，大陆欢迎台湾政党、团体和个人经常到大陆交流，共同促进两岸关系和平发展，维护和平。这将有利于台海稳定，惠及两岸同胞。

Taiwan Strait

台湾海峡

cross-Strait exchanges

两岸交流