Peking University, Beijing, October 29, 2009: On the evening of Oct, 27th, professors and students from Chinese University of Hong Kong and National Taiwan University were welcomed by PKU Vice-President Ms. Yue Sulan, Vice-Dean Guan Haiting, Director of the Department of Physical Education Mr. Hao GuangAn at PKU ZhengDa International Conference Center. Mr. Hao hosted the welcoming ceremony. Thus the annual 5th friendship sports of Universities across the Strait opened.

This friendship sports meeting started from 1995 and was initially advocated by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The three universities held it in turn. Through the sports competition, this event aims to enhance the communications between students both in sports spirit and in culture. So far, the event has been successively held four times: 1995 (Chinese University of Hong Kong), 1997 (Peking University), 1999 (National Taiwan University), 2004 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong)

PKU Vice-president Yue Sulan gave a warm welcome to professors and students from Hong Kong and Taiwan. She stated that the communications among students in Chinese University of Hong Kong, National Taiwan University and Peking University will be strengthened through holding this sports meeting. With the background after the Olympic Games, it is PKU’s second time to hold this event. This meeting has received a lot of support from all walks of life among Hong Kong, Taiwan and China Mainland. She also hoped that the event, with the theme of “Health, Harmony, Development and Double-win”, can act as a catalyst in communication and development among students of the three universities.

Bao Zong, Vice-President of National Taiwan University, expressed thanks to PKU’s warm reception and said that sports play a pivotal part in cultural communication and they always attach great attention to it. He also said that students from his university expect to improve through the competition and gain friendship from the experience. He hoped that friendship among the three universities will last forever.

Finally, Lu Yuanchang, Director of the Department of Physical Education at the Chinese University of Hong Kong gave a speech in the ceremony. He traced the history of this event and gave high praise to construction art of Olympic Stadium for table tennis at PKU. He also hoped that all the students can perform their best in the competitions and the friendship among the three universities can be further strengthened through this sports meeting.

Translated by: An Jiang
Edited by: Cai Ying
Source: PKU News (Chinese)