Lies cannot erase cross-Strait shared history and cultural gene

In recent days, a song titled Meichuxi (Good for Nothing) has caught the imagination of young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, going viral on social networking sites.

The high point of the song is footage from a highly charged moment in one of the island's legislative sessions, where Wang Shih-chien, a Democratic Progressive Party legislator, delivered a fiery critique of local policies. Mainland musician Wang Bo blended footage of the politician's animated desk-slapping gestures with an infectious melody and the rest was history. Wang Shih-chien himself described the song as "breathtaking". Many netizens noted that while the song comes across as humorous, it resonates with those on the island who are struggling to make ends meet.

On the Chinese mainland, the song has inspired numerous adaptations — from rock renditions to smoky vocal covers — accumulating over 1 billion views on the topic page of Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. On the island, netizens have produced AI-animated music videos.

In an exclusive interview with China Daily, composer Wang Bo expressed surprise at the song's phenomenal success. "I never imagined it would create such a ripple effect." He said the comments left by island netizens on social media made him aware of the deep emotional and cultural ties that bind people across the Strait.

Netizens on both sides of the Strait routinely exchange views on beauty, fashion, food and travel trends. Such exchanges are quietly forging connections between them. A growing number of youth on the island have embraced mainland social media platforms such as RedNote and short video-sharing platform TikTok. These digital channels offer many islanders the first glimpse of life on the mainland which they have never visited. Through them they first encounter snacks such as luosifen, a spicy rice noodle dish, and konjac jelly, which they later seek out whenever they visit.

These grassroots-level, everyday interactions prove more engaging than formal exchanges. They also reawaken feelings of a shared history and cultural gene among the island's youth. Despite efforts by the DPP to reduce true Chinese cultural elements in the island's textbooks and distort history, popular historical dramas produced on the mainland in recent years, such as The Legend of Zhenhuan, have become favorites there.

In June, Chen Chih-han, an internet influencer on the island, also known as "Guan Zhang" or "gym boss", undertook a six-day "truth-seeking" trip that took him from Shanghai to Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. The purpose of his trip was to "fact-check" claims made by some DPP politicians — that seats on high-speed trains on the mainland did not have backrests — and answer queries such as whether restrooms have doors, and if people really eat pickled vegetables with every meal. He livestreamed his journey to millions.

Afraid of such public interactions, the DPP authorities are trying to ban such apps and obstruct cross-Strait exchanges, with the aim of keeping people on the island perpetually inside an "information bubble".

However, the DPP's intimidation and threats cannot stop cross-Strait exchanges. Chen is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Saturday for a 12-day trip that includes visits to Liaoning and Fujian provinces. His itinerary in the capital includes the flag-raising ceremony at Tian'anmen Square, touring the Forbidden City, and enjoying Peking duck.

On Wednesday, Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, welcomed Taiwan compatriots, including internet influencers, to visit the mainland for cultural experiences, technological exploration, or future opportunities — encouraging them to discover, understand, and appreciate the mainland firsthand and share their experiences and opportunities with more friends.