Finding belonging across Strait

In October 2025, one month after arriving in Foshan, Guangdong province, 34-year-old vlogger Cai Jiemi from Taipei, Taiwan, posted a video showing how she was preparing for a typhoon ahead of landfall. It was the first time she had faced a typhoon on her own, far from home.

"Although I'm not with my mom, I still feel safe and supported here in the motherland," she said in the video, which garnered more than 1 million views on Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform.

Cai said her understanding of the Chinese mainland largely came from watching mainland content online. Two years ago, after leaving her job at a fashion media outlet in Taiwan, she began binge-watching short videos, following mainland news, and connecting with mainland vloggers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. She felt warmly welcomed and developed a more authentic understanding of cross-Strait relations.

"I came to realize that Taiwan's media can be biased, and that history textbooks in Taiwan often downplay the cultural ties we share with the mainland," she said. "People in Taiwan need a more comprehensive understanding of history."

That was one reason Cai decided to move to Foshan in September 2025, to experience life on the mainland and its culture firsthand. "Now that I'm out of my old information bubble, I want to document what I see here, in the hope of encouraging more people in Taiwan to view cross-Strait relations more objectively," she said.

Compared with Cai, 28-year-old Mao Zhiyuan became familiar with the mainland at a much younger age. At his parents' suggestion, he applied to Shanghai Jiao Tong University at 18 and completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees there. Even as a student, Mao actively participated in activities aimed at promoting cross-Strait exchanges.

"During my early years on the mainland, I witnessed major changes in cross-Strait relations," Mao said. "That made me realize that, as a young person from Taiwan living on the Chinese mainland, I can serve as a bridge between the two sides."

After graduating, Mao chose to settle in Shanghai and now works as a doctor at a cosmetic medical clinic. "My patients have shown me a lot of kindness," he said. "They enjoy chatting with me and often share their experiences traveling in Taiwan, which always makes me happy."

In his spare time, Mao continues to participate in exchange activities on both sides of the Strait. He also posts videos about what he has seen and experienced on the mainland — from travel moments to reflections from exchange events — and shares details about Taiwan that he believes mainland viewers may be less familiar with, such as traditional temples tucked along the streets of Taipei and the lively creative market at Tiehua village in Taitung, his hometown.

"I hope to help people on both sides understand each other better, and I hope that both sides will thrive," Mao said in one of his videos.

Like Mao, 22-year-old Li Xinhua is also a student from Taiwan studying on the mainland. She is a senior at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

On China's National Day, Oct 1, 2022, Li visited Tian'anmen Square to watch the flag-raising ceremony for the first time as part of an activity organized by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots. The grandeur of the scene left her with a vivid and unforgettable memory.

After that, Li joined as many activities organized by the federation as she could. These trips took her to places including the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Gansu province, where she explored natural attractions and spoke with local residents.

"During my conversations with Hui people in Ningxia, I realized how naturally people from different ethnic groups live and work together in harmony," Li said. "It made a deep impression on me."

She also encourages other young people in Taiwan to join similar programs. "I once recommended a cross-Strait summer exchange camp to a high school classmate," Li said."Now she signs up on her own every year."

Her experiences have also affected how some relatives and friends view the mainland. "They used to question my choice to study here," Li said. "But after seeing that I'm living well here — and learning more about the mainland through social media — their views have changed significantly."

Looking ahead, Cai said she plans to travel to more parts of the Chinese mainland and meet people from different ethnic groups to better understand their daily lives and cultures. Mao hopes to improve his ability to make short videos and to promote cross-Strait healthcare and medical exchanges that bring real benefits to people on both sides. Li has shifted from being a participant to helping lead student exchange activities, and she hopes to work on the mainland after graduation and build her life here.

When asked why he devotes so much time to exchange efforts, Mao said, "I truly believe in a saying: 'If you see yourself as a guest, all you can do is accept the host's hospitality. But if you see yourself as a host, you can take action and make a real impact on the people around you.'"

shanshuo@i21st.cn