国内英语新闻:Mainland official encourages cross-strait youth communication

XIAMEN, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief on Sunday encouraged youth across the Taiwan Strait to participate in cross-Strait exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and amity.

The youth will shape the future of the cross-strait relations, the future of the country and the Chinese nation, said Zhang Zhijun, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Zhang is in Fujian to attend the 9th Straits Forum.

Zhang noted that the increasing connections between youth from Taiwan and the mainland, either in seeking jobs or starting businesses on the mainland, will not only help the youth in their careers, but also boost their understanding of the mainland and help them identify with the nation, the country and the culture.

"Your careers are interrelated to the future of our shared home," said Zhang while attending a talk session under the ongoing 9th Straits Forum in east China's Fujian Province.

The mainland would continue introducing policies and measures to facilitate Taiwanese youth's study, work, life and pursuit of entrepreneurship on the mainland, so as to offer them basically the same treatment as enjoyed by local residents, according to Zhang.