Eight years ago, Wang Yi-hsuan first came to Shanghai as a tourist, drawn to the city by its blend of tradition and modernity. Since then, he has returned several times, deepening his connection with the city on each visit.
In August, the 26-year-old percussionist from Taiwan came to Shanghai for the fourth time — this time as a performer.
At a cross-Strait youth exchange event, which brought together about 1,000 people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Wang introduced visitors to a variety of percussion instruments and invited them to enjoy a free performance.
"I've always loved Shanghai, and I've seen the percussion scene grow quickly here," he said. "I hope to have the chance to work with some of these talented artists."
Wang began learning percussion at the age of 6 and has since performed around the world. He has also played several classical music concerts in Shanghai. With each return to the city, Wang said he "falls in love with it again" in a new way.
He describes Shanghai as dynamic, diverse, warm and welcoming. His father, who has also traveled frequently to the Chinese mainland, has long supported his plans to pursue a career there.
Wang is one of many young people from Taiwan exploring opportunities on the Chinese mainland through their work and creative pursuits.
For Chu Chia-yi, a 34-year-old actor, singer and special effects makeup artist, the journey began more than a decade ago, when he came to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to work on a film production for about eight months.
"I was amazed by the scale of the studio and its facilities," Chu recalled. "They had transformed an entire factory into a film set. Everything was built and filmed there, even the interior of a cruise ship."
The scale of the production gave Chu a new sense of what was possible in his creative work.
Through later visits to the mainland and his participation in cross-Strait exchanges, he has also been impressed by the young artists he has met there, describing them as "open-minded and creative".
"Exchanging ideas with people from different backgrounds can broaden our perspectives and inspire us to think more creatively," Chu said.
For Lin Dian-chang, better known by his stage name Sky Li, the mainland has become both a place to live and a place to build his business.
Over nearly two decades, the 38-year-old actor has traveled to more than 40 cities across the Chinese mainland. A coffee enthusiast, he also began exploring coffee making five years ago and eventually established Funan Coffee, a Shanghai-based coffee brand with operations spanning the entire supply chain.
Originally from Shantou, Guangdong province, Lin also returned to the city to learn more about his family history. During the visit, he discovered local produce, including wampee, a small citrus-like fruit, which he then incorporated into his coffee.
"From what I've seen, ties across the Strait are already close in areas ranging from business to cultural exchanges," Lin said. "Our lifestyles may differ in some ways, but we share the same roots. At heart, we're not so different."
Shawn Lan, 40, has also made Shanghai the base for his work. He started his interior design studio in the city in 2017 and has come to appreciate both the convenience of life there and the possibilities Shanghai offers.
Lan said he has seen more young people from Taiwan come to the mainland in search of job opportunities since 2018.
As a partner with Suna, a Taiwan cultural and creative brand, he is now working to bring more Taiwan businesses and products to the mainland.
At the exchange event, Lan organized vendors to showcase Taiwan's local flavors and traditions, including braised pork rice, cat-shaped snacks, folk costumes, handicrafts and handmade accessories.
"The people I've met on the mainland have all been warm and friendly," Lan said.
"We have so much in common, from food and culture to everyday habits and traditional values. I think growing closer is a natural process, and there's a lot we can gain from sharing with and learning from one another."
Expanding support
Their experiences reflect the different paths young people from Taiwan are taking as they build their lives and careers on the Chinese mainland, with cities such as Shanghai working to create opportunities and provide support.
In recent years, Shanghai has introduced policies, training programs and digital platforms to help young people from Taiwan find employment in the city. It is also set to continue implementing measures benefiting Taiwan residents and businesses while expanding related services.
At the opening ceremony of the event on Aug 25, Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, called on youth across the Strait to contribute to national rejuvenation, strengthen bonds between people on both sides and advance cross-Strait exchanges and integration.
Chang Jung-kung, vice-chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, said at the ceremony that people across the Strait belong to one China and share a common Chinese cultural heritage.
He called on the younger generation to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, deepen mutual understanding and contribute to the revitalization of the Chinese nation.
