The Free Hugs campaign that has caught on in recent years in several Western countries has arrived in Taiwan.

Yu Tzu-wei, a 22-year-old student from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, walked around downtown Taipei on Saturday offering free hugs to strangers.

Holding a placard with the words "Free Hugs," Yin approached passengers by and asked them if he could hug them. While most people ignored him or ran off, some accepted his hug and walked away smiling.

Yu said he wants to hug everyone in Taiwan to spread the message of peace and to build a harmonious society. On Saturday, Yu had hugged around only 200 people. At that rate, it will take him 315 years to hug Taiwan's 23 million people. - Sapa-dpa