GUANGZHOU, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,800 Taiwan college students have gathered for a cross-Strait youth exchange summer camp that kicked off on Friday in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province.

Hosted by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots (ACFTC), the summer camp will hold its main event in Guangdong from Friday to Sunday, with more activities set to unfold across 30 provincial-level regions.

In an address delivered when the camp opened, ACFTC President Zheng Jianmin said that the participation of many of Taiwan's young people has fully demonstrated the shared aspiration for increased exchanges and closer bonds between compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The ACFTC will create more opportunities and conditions for Taiwan's youth to exchange, study, work and start businesses on the mainland, Zheng said.

Taiwan youth Shi Ting-xuan shared her experience of engaging in previous cross-Strait exchange activities and said that she looks forward to making more friends and gaining a deeper understanding of the great Chinese culture.

Since the summer camp's inauguration in 2004, nearly 30,000 young people from Taiwan have participated in its activities, according to the ACFTC. Enditem