A cross-Strait youth baseball invitational tournament was held in Liancheng county, Longyan, East China's Fujian province. [Photo provided to Chinadaily.com.cn]

Rao said on the basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing 'Taiwan independence', both sides should strengthen mutual understanding and closeness through more exchange activities to build a happy future for both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Baseball has broad appeal in Taiwan and is particularly popular among the island's youth. A guideline issued in September last year to help Fujian promote integrated development across the Taiwan Strait calls for facilitating exchanges between primary and secondary schools in Fujian and Taiwan, including cooperation in youth sports such as baseball.