Delegates from Xiamen University in Fujian province visited the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone on Oct 28 to launch the Pingtan branch of the Coordination and Innovation Center for Peaceful Development of Cross-Straits Relations, the pilot zone's official website reported.

The center – which was established in October 2012 and started operation in March this year - is an initiative of Xiamen University, and was co-founded by Fudan University, the Institute of Taiwan Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Fujian Normal University. It aims to promote relations between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan by conducting research on issues concerning cross-Straits cooperation and the merging of society and culture.

Li Jianfa, Professor and Vice-President of Xiamen University, said that the center is an important platform to organize resources and encourage innovation for the peaceful development of the relations across the Taiwan Straits. And he also said that the university will provide information resources to help Pingtan conduct research on the nation's key strategies concerning Taiwan.

Officials of the zone, including Gong Qinggai, director of the zone's management committee, accompanied the delegates during their visit.

Gong said that he hopes the center's Pingtan branch would also attract talents to contribute to cross-Straits relations.

Edited by Niva Whyman