Taiwan actress reunites with mainland cousin in Zhejiang

After three years of tracing her family roots on the Chinese mainland, Taiwan actress and producer Chien Virginia reunited with her cousin in Haining, Zhejiang province, in April.

Chien's grandfather was originally from Haining but returned only once after settling in Taiwan.

"He told me that we have relatives in Haining," Chien said.

Following her grandfather's passing, Chien began searching for relatives in Zhejiang. She gathered old family photos, compiled the family genealogy and underwent DNA testing, gradually piecing together clues about her family ties across the Taiwan Strait.

"Later, I reached out to the Taiwan affairs office in Haining to help locate our distant relatives," she said. To her surprise, she discovered that she still had many relatives in Zhejiang. Last year, the office helped her locate her cousin.

Chien has now chosen to develop her career on the mainland and is working as an actress at Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang, the country's largest film and television production hub.

"Thanks to the assistance of local authorities, I was able to reunite with my cousin," Chien said. "I also want to take this opportunity to work in Zhejiang and reconnect with my relatives here."

There are many young people in Taiwan, like Chien, who are searching for their roots on the mainland. In June, a young Taiwan actor posted a video on a social media platform seeking help to trace his ancestry.

In less than two days, netizens and local residents had helped him trace his ancestral home to Shantou, Guangdong province. During the Dragon Boat Festival, which fell on June 19, he returned to his ancestral hall in Shantou to pay tribute to his ancestors.

Zhang Han, a spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that the growing number of young people from Taiwan returning to their ancestral hometowns on the mainland showed that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same roots and origin and form a community bound by blood ties.

She added that Taiwan affairs offices at all levels across the mainland are willing to provide necessary support.

After the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson's Facebook account was opened in October 2025, several Taiwan netizens left messages asking for help in locating their relatives on the mainland. The Taiwan Affairs Office coordinated with relevant local offices to contact these individuals, verify information and actively advance efforts to help them search for their relatives.