Ma Ying-jeou calls for adhering to 1992 Consensus as he returns to Taiwan after mainland trip

TAIPEI, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, said adherence to the 1992 Consensus best serves the interests of Taiwan people as he returned to Taiwan after a trip to the Chinese mainland.

At Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, Ma said he has proven with action that adhering to the 1992 Consensus, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and respecting each other can lead to having a common political foundation with the mainland.

And by doing so, cross-Strait exchanges and dialogues can be resumed as soon as possible, Ma said, adding that this best serves the interests of the people of Taiwan.

Ma said it has been his long-held wish to go to the mainland to honor his family's ancestors. But it was only his first time, as he was about to turn 73, to visit the mainland.

Ma said he was glad to receive a very enthusiastic response from mainland residents, which left him both surprised and touched.

Ma recalled the successful exchanges between Taiwan students he had brought to the mainland and their mainland counterparts, which gave him great confidence for resuming cross-Strait exchanges.

"Young people are our future," Ma said, adding that the earlier young people across the Taiwan Strait communicate, the better they understand each other and the less likely they are to have conflicts in the future.

"We invited mainland students to visit Taiwan as well," Ma said.

Expressing concern over the present cross-Strait situation, Ma said he would continue to work among the people to ensure that Taiwan can have a future featuring true peace and security.