Xizang sees marked improvement of medical system

The medical system in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region has seen a remarkable improvement over the past decade, thanks to the technologies and experience brought by medical professionals from across the country.

In August 2015, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee launched an initiative of “grouped” medical assistance to Xizang. Over the past decade, 203 hospitals in provinces nationwide have sent over 2,000 specialists to support medical and healthcare services in Xizang.

Interviews and investigations by the China Media Group (CMG) show that the "grouped" medical aid has fundamentally improved the clinical departments in Xizang's medical institutions that were originally weak or even nonexistent, maximizing the training function of the medical specialists from across the country.

Jieji, a young woman in Xizang, suffered from dystonia. In early days, the neurology department at local medical institutions was underdeveloped. Jieji had to travel to Beijing Tiantan Hospital, where she underwent surgery and received a brain pacemaker.

In recent years, Beijing Tiantan Hospital has sent multiple groups of medical experts to support the neurology department at Lhasa People's Hospital. With their help, Jieji no longer needs to go to Beijing for her disease. Through the 5G remote consultation platform, her surgeon can remotely debug her brain pacemaker.

"Due to the special climate and ecological environment of the Tibetan Plateau, we're exploring diagnosis and treatment based on the characteristics of local neurosurgical diseases, to provide a solid basis for the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases in the future," said Hao Qiang, a doctor aiding Xizang from the Beijing Tiantan Hospital.

Lhasa People's Hospital is a designated medical institution receiving "grouped support" from Beijing municipal hospitals. Over the past decade, the hospital has built a high-caliber medical team. In the pediatric intensive care unit, which opened just a year ago, 13-year-old Yagawa received treatment for Henoch-Schonlein purpura and nephritis.

"There's a lack of information and treatment on kidney-related diseases here. Our goal is to establish a dedicated kidney team covering urinary tract infections, nephritis, and other kidney diseases, so that children with those disease can stay here and receive more comprehensive and optimized treatment," said Wan Ling, a doctor aiding Xizang from the Capital Children's Medical Center under Capital Medical University.

The medical specialists aiding Xizang not only bring sophisticated medical technology and advanced equipment to the plateau, but also combine the essence of Xizang's local medicine techniques with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to maximize their clinical value.

"Both TCM and traditional Tibetan medicine belong to the traditional medicine system of the Chinese nation and share similarities in essence. Next, we will establish standards and a consensus on clinical efficacy to provide local people with a medical service system with its own characteristics," said Li Xiang, a doctor aiding Xizang from the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Xizang sees marked improvement of medical system

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