A winter camp for college students from Taiwan opened at Jilin University in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin province on Dec 20.

A winter camp for college students from Taiwan opens at Jilin University in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin province on Dec 20. [Photo/jlu.edu.cn]

A total of 217 students and teachers from Taiwan-based Feng Chia University, National Tsing Hua University and 27 other universities joined 64 volunteering students from local Jilin University for the 17th annual event.

During the next eight days, students from across the Taiwan Straits will participate in a wide range of performances, lectures and sightseeing activities in Changchun and Harbin in Heilongjiang province.

Zhang Xi, president of Jilin University and member of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) delivers a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony. [Photo/jlu.edu.cn]

"The event was organized to boost exchanges between college students from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan", said Zhang Xi, president of Jilin University and member of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) in his welcoming speech.

The winter camp, which was initiated by Jilin University in 2002, has seen a steady growth in participation. Over the past 16 years, Jilin University has received more than 3,225 Taiwan students and teachers, and signed agreements on exchange programs for both students and professors, with 44 colleges and universities in Taiwan.

Students from Taiwan pose for photos with volunteering students from local Jilin University, Dec 20. [Photo/jlu.edu.cn]