Authorities across southern China have been enacting emergency response measures as Typhoon Ragasa made landfall along the coast of south China's Guangdong Province on Wednesday afternoon, with the powerful storm bringing ferocious winds and torrential rain.
Ragasa, the 18th typhoon of the year and by far the strongest, first entered the South China Sea late Monday and has been moving along the southern edge of Guangdong at a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour.
The Guangdong provincial emergency management department had acted in advance of Ragasa's arrival, with over one million people being evacuated as a precaution. Various control measures have been imposed in coastal waters by local authorities, with all port operations suspended. Over 80,000 fishing boats have been secured in ports, while more than 12,200 offshore workers are taking shelter onshore across the province.
The central government has also urgently allocated supplies to support Guangdong in response to the typhoon.
Meanwhile, local authorities in other affected areas have also taken relevant measures.
In the southern island province of Hainan, high-speed rail services have been suspended, with flights also adjusted, and over 1,000 yachts being berthed.
The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region evacuated tourists from its Weizhou Island and also closed coastal routes ahead of the incoming bad weather.
The typhoon also forced classes to be suspended in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) while local transport also ground to a halt, while the Macao SAR experienced severe flooding in low-lying areas with a number of residents relocated.
China's Central Meteorological Observatory has forecast that the intensity of winds and rainfall around the Guangdong coast will weaken on Thursday, with the heavy rain shifting to the west and likely hitting the neighboring Guangxi region.
The public have been advised to take precautions, avoid unnecessary trips, and be alert for the risks posed by potential flooding in urban centers, as well as possible mountain torrents and landslides in various other parts of southern and eastern China, including in the Yunnan, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Zhejiang provinces, where heavy rain is expected.
China's southern regions respond as super typhoon Ragasa makes landfall
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
