It was hard to tell which was higher yesterday, Beijing's temperature or the mood of the 1,123 Taiwanese youths attending the 2005 Summer Camp.

Taiwan students attending the 2005 Summer Camp in Beijing pose for a photo with a local actor in historic dress at the Ancient Emperor Temple in Xicheng District. Some 1,123 Taiwan youths have joined the 15-day summer camp, organized by the All China Taiwanese Association.

Under the blazing sun, they cheered the opening of their camp by waving their flags at Zhongshan Park.

Held by the All China Taiwanese Association, the 15-day summer camp attracted 895 members from the island, most of whom are university students.

Taiwanese students who study on the mainland or overseas also joined the camp, expecting to experience more Chinese culture and make new friends.

"It's my first time here," said Xu Yuanhao, a 20-year-old student from Taipei. "Everything looks exciting."

Though he broke his leg a few days before the trip and is temporarily confined to a wheelchair, Xu insisted on attending.

"Besides the historical sights here, what I'm interested in most is the 2008 Olympic Games," Xu said. "Before we leave Beijing, the trip organizing committee will select 100 camp members and offer them free trips to Beijing in 2008. I hope I can be that lucky!"

No wonder the two-hour lecture by Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-chairman of the organizing committee for the Games, was so popular.

In the coming days, students will visit the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Beijing Zoo, and Peking, Tsinghua and Renmin universities. They will also visit the Memorial Hall of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the victory.

On Friday, members will be divided into smaller groups to continue their trip on the mainland.

Another group of students from Taiwan, in Beijing for the Sixth Beijing-Taiwan Youth Week sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office, said they were looking forward to seeing the Forbidden City and giant pandas in the zoo.

Tsai Yifen, 18, from Taipei, who will fly her self-made rocket in a competition with Beijing high school students on Saturday, said the event would help her make friends from the mainland.

"We have the same interests and the same language," she said. "I felt comfortable talking with them."

And the Beijing students are as cheerful as their guests.

Li Chen, 16, of the No 159 Middle School who is a students' tour guide, met Li Yiping, 16, from Taiwan. Li Chen said: "We have the same surname. We're one family."

(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2005)