Taiwan youth see mainland as land of opportunities

BEIJING -- In a singing competition held for students across the Taiwan Strait last year, Mao Chih-yuan, a Taiwan student at a university on the Chinese mainland, won the award for the best original song in the division of college students.

"It is more than just a plane ticket that connects both sides of the Strait. Riding a motorcycle on the serene mountain slope, I feel my horizons broadened with dreams in my mind," sang the postgraduate of the School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU).

Born in Taitung County of Taiwan, Mao chose to study on the mainland because he found that the mainland "is full of opportunities and challenges."

Like Mao, an increasing number of young people from Taiwan have come to the mainland to pursue education, find jobs or start businesses, embracing ample opportunities offered by the other side of the Strait with an open and enterprising mindset.

GREATER ACHIEVEMENTS ON A BETTER PLATFORM

Mao set foot on the mainland for the first time after being admitted to the SJTU in 2015. After completion of his undergraduate program, he continued his studies at the SJTU for a master's degree.

"The top-notch faculty and abundant learning resources of the SJTU have benefited me a lot," said Mao, adding that the outstanding alumni inspired him to become a doctor proficient in both clinical practice and scientific research.

In the past year, Mao has been actively engaged in conducting experiments, publishing papers, and writing popular science articles. "Aiming high and working hard, one deserves greater achievements on a better platform," he said.

At his leisure, Mao would write songs to record his life in Shanghai and express his love for the city.

Speaking of his future plans, Mao said he would stay in Shanghai for further studies after completing his master's program and "strive to become an excellent medical practitioner in the future."