BEIJING -- A 21-member delegation of ethnic minorities from Taiwan visited Beijing from Tuesday to Thursday to get a better understanding of the ethnic cultures of the Chinese nation and exchange views with relevant parties on the development of relations across the Taiwan Strait as well as on exchanges and cooperation between ethnic minorities from the two sides.

Compatriots from ethnic minorities in Taiwan are indispensable members of the big family of the Chinese nation, said Song Tao, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, when meeting with the delegation on Wednesday.

They have a glorious tradition of loving the country and their homeland and have made important contributions to the development of cross-Strait relations and the reunification of the motherland, he said.

"We will implement the Party's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, always respect, care for, and bring benefits to compatriots in Taiwan, and actively support exchanges, cooperation, and integrated development between Taiwan ethnic minority compatriots and compatriots on the mainland to jointly create a brighter future for national reunification and rejuvenation," Song said.

Members of the delegation said compatriots of ethnic groups on both sides of the Strait are all members of the big family of the Chinese nation. Ethnic minorities in Taiwan miss the warm and close people-to-people exchanges between the two sides before COVID-19 and look forward to resuming such exchanges soon.

They said they recognize and support the 1992 Consensus and oppose separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence." They will continue to encourage people of all ethnic groups to participate in cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, promote peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and jointly create a better future for the Chinese nation with compatriots on the mainland.

After visiting Beijing, the delegation will head for Guangxi, Fujian, and Hainan to participate in exchange activities involving ethnic minorities across the Strait.