Zheng Chenggong's legacy celebrated on 400th anniversary of his birth

The history of Zheng Chenggong, a national hero who expelled the Dutch colonists in 1662 and recovered Taiwan, shows that the island is a part of China and the reunification of the two sides is a general trend, representatives from both sides said.

They made the remarks at a cross-Strait youth book salon held in Beijing on Tuesday to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Zheng's birth. More than 70 representatives including Taiwan compatriots and Zheng's descendants from his ancestral home attended the event.

Jiang Liping, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, said that Taiwan has always been an integral part of China's territory, and the event could help everyone to review history and promote peaceful and integrated development across the Strait.