Flood-hit county in China's Guizhou ready for Village Super League

Rongjiang County in southwest China's Guizhou Province is now ready to reopen the upcoming Village Super League, also known as Cun Chao, after suffering severe flooding in late June.

Currently, the infrastructure in Rongjiang's urban area is undergoing restoration, and the iconic Cun Chao stadium has been completely renovated in preparation for the event's resumption on Friday.

In a neighborhood that was among the most severely affected areas during the floods, local dredging work has been completed, and post-disaster reconstruction is currently underway. Many local shops are gradually reopening, bringing back a sense of liveliness to the area.

"The streets are all cleaned up. We've got electricity and water back at our homes, and the houses are fixed up. The support for our neighborhood has been strong. Everyone has worked really hard," said Hu Chaolan, a resident.

"Since reopening, we've had good crowds and decent business with more and more customers. This place will recover even better," said Wang Meixian, a staff member of a local baked flatbread shop.

With the first game after the flood just around the corner, the hotel industry in Rongjiang has made significant progress in repairs, preparing to accommodate fans from across the nation.

"With Cun Chao restarting on July 25, we are already witnessing strong demand through online orders and phone bookings. We have elevated the service level of our staff, returning to the standards and procedures of service that we had before the disaster struck," said Dong Bin, front office manager of a local hotel.

Beyond the hotel industry, the food industry in the county is also striving to recover.

A restaurant situated just 500 meters from the Cun Chao stadium suffered damage to its floors and furniture during the floods. But with local reconstruction efforts around the clock, it reopened within just 10 days, experiencing a steady increase in customer traffic since resuming operation.

"The government provides us with subsidies and access to loans to support the resumption of our work and production. Our orders are full until July 26, and we have also prepared enough ingredients," said Yang Liyan, the restaurant manager.

Last year, Cun Chao attracted over nine million tourists and generated tourism revenue exceeding 10.8 billion yuan (around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) for Rongjiang.

"Since Cun Chao went viral in 2023, we have witnessed the addition of over 6,000 market entities. Currently, we are focusing on restoring both the stadium and the event. In fact, what we need to restore is the market environment and the confidence of market entities, to reignite fervor in this market once again," said Cai Bo, deputy director of the Rongjiang County bureau of culture, sports, radio, television and tourism.

Flood-hit county in China's Guizhou ready for Village Super League

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media