The Chinese mainland welcomes Ma Ying-jeou, the former leader of Taiwan island, who will visit the mainland on Mar 27 to worship his ancestors and lead young Taiwan students to strengthen exchanges, a mainland spokesman said on Monday morning.

"It's a Chinese tradition to pay careful attention to ancestor worship, and it's also the common custom of the compatriots on both sides across the Taiwan Straits to do such things on Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping Day", Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a brief news release.

More exchanges and communications between the young people from across the Straits would "add fresh strength and vitality" to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, he said.

"We are willing to provide necessary assistance for Mr Ma's visit and wish him all the best during his trip," said the spokesman.