Compatriots from Taiwan increasingly pursue their dreams on mainland

A growing number of young people from Taiwan are choosing to live and work on the Chinese mainland, drawn by cultural familiarity, economic opportunity, and supportive policies.

For many Taiwan people, the very first stop on the mainland begins in Fuzhou, capital of south China's Fujian Province, a city known for its deep cultural ties with Taiwan.

Vlogger Chen Xiao-ting, who moved from Taipei to Fuzhou, said that the shared heritage and relaxed pace in Fuzhou helped her quickly settle in the city.

"Fuzhou shares the same cultural roots with Taiwan. The atmosphere and the pace of life here are particularly comfortable. I adapted to the local life very quickly. Fuzhou gives a lot of support to young people from Taiwan who want to start a business. We decided to focus on Fuzhou's intangible cultural heritage and displays of low-carbon and environmental protection in urban areas. We prefer that our business is heartwarming and objective, and we want more people to see the real life here," said Chen.

Beyond cultural affinity, Taiwan people are increasingly drawn to mainland cities, far beyond Fuzhou, by their dynamic economies, international marketplaces, and numerous supportive policies.

Among them is Ma Kang-wei, a Taiwan interior designer based in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. Ma said that he is attracted to Shenzhen, as there are many supporting industrial chain products, suppliers in and around the Guangdong Province.

"Shenzhen is like a pivot. It is not just a design hub. It is also the center of all sci-tech innovation. I think it's something that's hard to achieve overseas. They may have creativity, but they lack resources to bring ideas to life, and they can't interact with the supply chain at such close range," said Ma.

Despite the strained cross-Strait ties, there are always people willing to bridge the two sides, like Su Chia-yu, a flight attendant at Xiamen Airlines.

Su is part of a growing cohort of Taiwan people working in mainland's civil aviation sector. She said that her team is now the largest Taiwan group in the mainland's airline industry.

"With a dream of flying across the sky, I started a remarkable journey with Xiamen Airlines. More and more young people from Taiwan are joining the civil aviation family, together writing the story of one family across the Strait. My family fully supports me in pursuing my dream on the mainland," said Su.

Film director Huang Chao-liang is working to deepen mutual understanding through storytelling. His latest project, "Pathfinder," tells the story of a village head in Kaohsiung who helps to return the ashes of over 300 Kuomintang veterans to the mainland.

"I find a few like-minded people here. I don't have one or two brothers to help me, So I'm on my own. The name of the film is settled at 'Pathfinder' at the moment. It tells a story about a village head in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, who sends the bone ashes of more than 300 Kuomintang veterans back home in the mainland. It's a true story. They are good deeds done by Mr. Liu Te-wen over the past 20 years. I hope to devote myself to films about the two sides of the Strait, so that young people can learn more about both sides," said Huang.

Compatriots from Taiwan increasingly pursue their dreams on mainland

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