In a recent interview at the 2024 Cross-Strait Banping Mountain Cultural Exchange event held in Dongtou District, Wenzhou, we explored the deep connections between Dongtou and Taiwan. The event featured a poignant performance of the Min Nan song “Banping Mountain” by folk singers from both regions, highlighting their shared heritage and cultural ties.

Close to 200 guests, including political, business, and cultural elites from both sides of the Strait, gathered to celebrate their kinship and discuss new avenues for deepening cooperation. Over the past 14 years, Dongtou has hosted a series of Banping Mountain events, attracting nearly 3,500 attendees from both Taiwan and mainland China to engage in trade and cultural exchanges.

Folk singer Zhang Lemin from Taiwan expressed his sentiments about performing “Banping Mountain,” stating, “The combination of melodies and lyrics in Min Nan dialect truly captures the bond between Dongtou and Taiwan, resonating deeply with the audiences on both sides.”

As night fell, a lineup of Taiwan’s young folk singers took the stage in Dongtou for a cross-strait youth concert, performing various genres, from pop and folk to rap and rock. Taiwan’s young musician, known as Zhiwu, reflected on the power of music: “It serves as a seamless bridge, connecting the hearts of young people from both sides more effectively.” He noted a growing trend of young Taiwanese artists pursuing dreams in mainland China and finding success.

Among them is Tsai Peiyun, a successful Taiwanese entrepreneur who moved to mainland China in 2015. “The vast opportunities here captivated me,” she remarked. Today, she stands out as a prominent young business leader in Taiwan, hoping to inspire more Taiwanese youth to chase their dreams across the Strait.

Additionally, a seven-day youth experience camp titled “Double Screen, United Heart, Discovering Youth” was held, featuring cultural tours, heritage experiences, culinary explorations, and team competitions for like-minded Taiwanese and mainland youth.

In the artistic realm, nearly 20 Taiwanese folk artists visited Banping Mountain to create and showcase their work. The leader of the Nantou Cultural and Art Exchange Group, Tsai Bingxuan, shared, “In my artwork, the rooster symbolizes good fortune, while the lotus flower represents harmony—artistic representations that resonate deeply within Chinese culture.”

The event also included an exhibition featuring the works of seven Taiwanese artists and several Zhejiang-based artists, showcasing the enduring artistic ties between the two regions.

In recent years, Dongtou has expanded its cultural, tourism, and trade exchanges based on a shared understanding of cultural heritage and the belief that both sides are family. “Although the two Banping Mountains are separated by the Taiwan Strait, their proximity and shared language connect Dongtou and Taiwan,” remarked Xu Xiaoguang, Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of Zhejiang Province. “Zhejiang will continue to welcome our Taiwanese compatriots to visit, learn, and pursue ventures here, as we look forward to a prosperous future of cooperation.”