Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday called for the expansion of exchanges between students on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Ma made the remarks during a visit to Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province.

It is important for the younger generation on both sides to interact more and understand each other further, said Ma, who also expressed the hope that Wuhan University students go to the Taiwan region.

The cross-Strait exchanges between students should be resumed and expanded, Ma said while joining a discussion between a group of students from the Taiwan region and Wuhan University students.

The people in Taiwan and on the Chinese mainland share the same cultural and ethnic identity, and exchanges can help promote integration between the two sides, he added.

(Cover: Ma Ying-jeou speaks during a visit to Wuhan University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 30, 2023. /Xinhua)