Opportunities shared across Taiwan Strait

The Chinese mainland is willing to share opportunities during its modernization process with Taiwan compatriots, a senior official said while meeting with Taiwan entrepreneurs and young people at a summit in Jiangsu province.

Song Tao, who is head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, which concluded last week, proposed over 300 reform measures that will provide strong impetus for the country's modernization and create better conditions for Taiwan compatriots and businesses to thrive on the mainland.

The meeting also said that the mainland will improve institutions and policies to promote economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait and advance integrated cross-Strait development.

Song told the Taiwan representatives to firmly uphold the stance that both sides belong to one China, resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence", and encourage more young people from Taiwan to engage in the construction of the mainland.

His remarks were made during a cross-Strait young entrepreneurs summit attended by over 350 guests. It is being held in Kunshan, which has a relatively high concentration of Taiwan-funded enterprises.

The five-day event, which started on Sunday, includes seminars for young people to share views on jobs and businesses, and trips to various cities to learn about the latest technologies such as the metaverse and AI, as well as local cultures.

Liu Chao-shiuan, chairman of the Taiwan-based council of the summit for entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait, said while visiting Jiangsu that the CPC meeting has attracted worldwide attention, and the information released is inspiring.

The vast majority of Taiwan compatriots have been participants, witnesses and beneficiaries of the achievements made in the past decades, he said, adding that the further reform and expansion of opening-up on the mainland will provide Taiwan businesses and enterprises with more opportunities.

Pao Yi-jie, who is studying business management at Tunghai University in Taiwan, secured an internship opportunity at a company in Suzhou through channels provided at a summit this summer, as she wants to understand the mainland workplace and is considering seeking employment here after graduation.

In her spare time, she enjoys using the mainland social media platform Xiaohongshu to explore posts about travel, food, beauty and other aspects of mainland culture. She has also read about the famous Zhouzhuang water town in Suzhou on the platform.

"Zhouzhuang's scenery is just as it is described in Chinese textbooks, small bridges, flowing water and quaint houses," she said, "I'm looking forward to going there to take some nice photos."

Su Heng, chairwoman of the island-based Economic and Trade Exchange Association across the Taiwan Strait, is leading a group of young Taiwan visitors on a tour of Suzhou.

She said the itinerary was planned by members of the post-2000 generation in the group after searching on mainland social media platforms.

Such social media platforms have broken the boundaries of the Taiwan Strait, leading to an increasing curiosity about the mainland among young people, Su said, adding that "this has made the Democratic Progressive Party authorities fearful that their lies about the mainland will be exposed".

She criticized the island's DPP authorities for disregarding the desire of people on both sides of the Strait for exchanges and even creating confrontations, including recently warning about travel to the mainland.

"In times of difficulty, cross-Strait exchanges are even more precious because young people are more willing to believe in the truth they see for themselves," she said.