A group of 20 students from Taiwan visit "Forging Ahead in the New Era" exhibition in Beijing Exhibition Center on November 11, 2022. Photo: Lou Kang/GT

Inside a special exhibition hall in Beijing presenting the achievements of Central China's Henan Province, a student from the island of Taiwan excitedly took a close look at a paotong guqin, a local string instrument made of Paulownia wood. 

"There are countless cultural heritage items here that surprise you," said the postgraduate, who is now studying in Beijing.

A group of 20 students from the island of Taiwan paid a visit on Friday to the Forging Ahead in the New Era exhibition, which has been on display since late September. During the two-hour visit, the group had the opportunity to learn more about the achievements of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past 10 years, from the lunar soil sample brought back by the Chang'e-5 probe to the efforts made in poverty alleviation and the achievements in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition also shows the specialties of each province and region of China.

Opened on September 27, the exhibition at the Beijing Exhibition Center outlines the theoretical guidance in the new era and displays the hard work of the general public as well.

For the students, the visit was a great opportunity to get a comprehensive view of the country at a time when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities on the island of Taiwan have been relentlessly blocking and even introducing bans on cross-Straits activities.

"It is impressive to see so many achievements made by our country, and you can see it here all at once in such a huge venue," another Peking University student from Taiwan told the Global Times.

"I first came to the mainland years ago for a two-month exchange. I saw more opportunities in both life and in business here, and that is why I chose to come back for further education," said a student from Kaohsiung who is majoring in education.

"In the future I want to seek more opportunities here in Beijing after I graduate, and hopefully I will start my own business with my friends here," he added. 

Since opening, the exhibition center has hosted a lot of visitors and hundreds of journalists from both home and abroad.

The exhibition covering a total area of over 30,000 square meters, is divided into six parts that include the central exhibition, local exhibitions for specific provinces and regions and an interactive area for visitors.

The exhibition displays more than 6,000 objects including paintings and photos recording the life of Chinese people, models of aerial platforms and drones, and an ecological monitoring system, presenting a multi-dimensional display of the glorious past decade.

Other highlights include a 3D electronic map presenting the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and their achievements in science, innovation and infrastructure construction.