A Taiwan delegation led by former Kuomintang chairman Ma Ying-jeou has called for deeper cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation during a recent visit to the Chinese mainland.

Organized by the island-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, the student delegation visited Fujian and Gansu provinces from June 14 to June 27, traveling from the eastern to the northwestern regions of the mainland.

The trip marked Ma's fourth visit to the mainland and included participation in the 17th Straits Forum in Xiamen, Fujian province, the annual commemorative ceremony for Chinese legendary ancestor Fu Xi in Tianshui, Gansu province, and a seminar on promoting Chinese culture in Dunhuang, another city in Gansu.

Throughout the trip, Ma stressed that the delegation's purpose was to foster mutual understanding and cooperation among young people across the Strait.

"Young people on both sides are the hope for our future. In the past two years, I've led college students from Taiwan to the mainland three times, allowing them to better understand the mainland's development," he said at the Straits Forum.

"Only through continuous people-to-people exchanges can we effectively reduce misunderstandings and hostility between people on both sides of the Strait," he added.

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, noted that the visit comes at a time when efforts to erase Chinese cultural elements in Taiwan are intensifying. "Students expressed their gratitude to the foundation for organizing this visit, which allowed them to engage closely with the Chinese civilization," Hsiao said.

"Both sides of the Strait should work together toward peace and cooperation, deepening collaboration in areas such as culture, history, religion, science and technology," he noted.

On Friday, the delegation visited the photovoltaic industrial park in Dunhuang, a national-level solar power demonstration base. The site marked the final stop of their two-week tour.

Following the visit, a student surnamed Yang said, "The industrial park showcased the mainland's leading position in energy transition and renewable energy. The fact that the Chinese nation can develop solar power on barren land reflects the spirit of creating hope in the face of adversity, which is something to be proud of."

Another student expressed hope that the two sides of the Strait can engage in exchanges and cooperation through solar power generation.

The delegation's visit took place amid growing restrictions on cross-Strait exchanges imposed by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities on the island.

Hsiao said many students were moved and inspired by the experience. "We hope that every visit to the mainland allows Taiwan students to experience the significance of Chinese culture and civilization, which is a vital bridge for the youth across the Strait to deepen mutual understanding," he said.

Their 14-day itinerary included stops in Xiamen, Ningde and Fuzhou in Fujian province, as well as Tianshui, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan and Dunhuang in Gansu province.