More than 2,000 young people from China's Taiwan have taken part in this summer's Cross-Strait Youth Exchange program in Shanghai comprising nearly 50 activities, and a themed gala held on Monday evening was one of the highlights of the program.
At the themed gala, the young compatriots from Taiwan shared stories about the building of careers by Taiwan residents in the global metropolis of Shanghai.
According to China's seventh National Population Census, there are nearly 160,000 Taiwan residents living on the mainland.
The inspiring stories deeply captivated the Taiwan students on mainland visit under the Cross-Strait Youth Exchange program.
This year's nearly 50 activities include e-sports, street dance, table tennis, museum tours and cultural heritage experiencing.
"Upon seeing the 'Hundred Family Surnames' on the white porcelain artwork, all our group members could find their own surnames on it. It truly shows how we are all one family across the Strait," said a student surnamed Liao from Taiwan's Da-Jeou School.
Through friendly matches and interactions, the young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait soon became friends.
"Playing games is a shared hobby that brings us all together. We just naturally play together, and through our interactions, become true buddies and friends," said Huang Legion, leader of Jiangsu Esports Team.
"Young people who are hesitant or unwilling to come to the mainland all show an interest in visiting Shanghai. This clearly shows that Shanghai is the most captivating and dynamic city here in the entire mainland, and I hope the city becomes a starting point for connections between young people from both sides of the Strait," said Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation.
Over 2,000 youths from Taiwan take part in summer cultural activities in Shanghai
The three astronauts of China's recently-returned Shenzhou-20 mission on Friday shared the experiences of their dramatic 204-day space mission, including detailing the emergency procedures which were implemented to bring them safely home after their return capsule was struck by space debris.
The trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie -- met with the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November.
When detailing the emergency response mechanisms which were enacted prior to their scheduled return, the astronauts explained that upon discovering a triangular crack on the spacecraft's viewport window, they immediately took photos for documentation and transmitted them to the ground team, who swiftly activated an emergency plan to get the trio home safely.
Experienced mission commander Chen Dong explained how the crew had complete faith in their colleagues on the ground to find a solution to these unforeseen circumstances which led to their return being delayed.
"First, we must trust the ground team, who would anticipate everything and develop the safest return plan for us. Second, we must believe in ourselves; as well-trained astronauts, we have the ability to manage various unexpected failures. I believe that with the collaboration of astronauts and researchers on the ground, our space home will surely go farther, more steadily, and for a longer time," he said.
Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.
During their mission, they completed multiple payload operations, conducted extensive scientific experiments, and carried out four extravehicular activities.
"Our crew worked together with the ground team in unity and coordination, completing four extravehicular activities, several payload entry and exit tasks, and a large number of scientific experiments. It was a fulfilling yet challenging mission. The path to exploring the heavens is long and arduous, but I firmly believe that China's space missions will succeed," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who was making his first spaceflight during the mission.
"From the ground to space, from learning to application, I have deeply felt the solid progress of Chinese space endeavors and the quiet dedication of countless personnel behind the scenes. In the future, I will accomplish each mission with full commitment, living up to the trust of the motherland and the people," said fellow astronaut Wang Jie, who was also making his debut spaceflight.
After returning to Earth on Nov 14, the trio successfully completed their isolation recovery and rehabilitation and will now resume normal training following health assessments.
The crew's return, originally scheduled for Nov 5, was postponed due to safety concerns, with the astronauts later using the return capsule belonging to their successor crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission to get back to Earth. China later launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft which will serve the future return of the crew now aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experiences after safely returning from debris incident
