Coming from the other side of the Taiwan Strait: Taiwanese PhD Pursuing Dreams in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area Mainland | Culture | Taiwan

Guangzhou, July 7th (Xinhua) Question: From the other side of the Taiwan Strait: Taiwanese PhDs Pursuing Dreams in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area

China News Network reporter Cai Minjie

Guangdong and Taiwan are closely related, culturally connected, and economically integrated. In recent years, multiple preferential policies for Taiwan, such as the "48 Guangdong Taiwan policies" and "34 Guangdong Taiwan agricultural and forestry policies," have taken root in southern Guangdong. Taiwanese talents who come to Guangdong can enjoy relevant talent preferential treatment. Currently, with the deepening of the construction of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, the region has vast development space and diverse possibilities, and Taiwan's young high-end talents have a broad stage in Guangdong.

More and more Taiwanese teachers are crossing the Taiwan Strait and entering campuses on the mainland, teaching and educating, and seeking scientific research. In recent days, journalists from China News Network have interviewed several Taiwanese teachers to understand their work and life situation in Guangdong.

Let the village "come alive" in cultural and creative activities

Utilizing the experience of Taiwan's flower auction market to promote mainland bonsai and potted plants, cultivate endogenous power in rural communities, and develop mainland agricultural products Su Shilan is from Taipei, Taiwan. In April 2019, she joined Guangzhou Zhongkai Agricultural Engineering College as a special lecturer. She holds a doctoral degree from Fudan University and also serves as the director of the Agricultural Innovation Center of the Taiwan Youth Federation and the rural revitalization special envoy in Guangdong. She has participated in many projects related to rural revitalization in mainland China.

"In recent years, the mainland has also developed rapidly in the research and development of new agricultural varieties. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait should engage in more exchanges and work together to amplify their advantages." Su Shilan led students to establish a studio to expand the visibility of local agricultural products by enhancing brand cultural and creative design. "Recently, he led students to Meizhou Overseas Chinese Village in Guangdong to help enhance the brand value of local agricultural products such as Beibei and pumpkin through cultural and creative means. At the same time, he drew on Taiwan's experience to help cultivate the independent and endogenous development ability of rural communities, allowing villages to 'live' in cultural and creative activities."

Su Shilan also frequently communicates with Taiwanese friends about the current development of mainland China. "I believe many people in the flower related industry in Taiwan want to come to mainland China for exchanges, explore the common cultural points between the two sides, and stimulate more creative inspiration."

"Seeing" Cross Strait Life through Short Videos

"Where is Lao Xie taking you on a trip today? That's right, this is Guizhou." "Guangzhou South Station has the highest passenger flow in Asia, which is also amazing." "Drifting in the Demon Realm in Northeast China, the water is so icy." Xie Yahui, from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is an associate professor at the School of Fine Arts at Guangdong Normal University and also a travel food blogger. She measures towns on both sides of the Taiwan Strait with her footsteps and shoots short videos to introduce the scenery.

Photo by Taiwanese teacher Xie Yahui and Chen Jimin

In Xie Yahui's lens, the two sides of the Pearl River in Guangzhou are bustling, the Taomi Ecological Village in Nantou, Taiwan has endless pastoral scenery, and Taiwanese youth and Guizhou villagers are dancing bonfire in the terraces of Kapang... She said that through short video platforms at home and abroad, people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits can enhance mutual understanding while practicing digital marketing.

After graduating with a PhD from the School of Journalism and Communication at Peking University, Xie Yahui went to teach at a university in Guangzhou. In the education of courses such as advertising, we will discuss with students the current development of cultural and creative industries across the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, we will also use opportunities such as holiday tourism or field research to study the ways of cultural integration between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Xie Yahui introduced: "In my research, the 'intangible cultural heritage' Mazu culture originating from Fujian has an inclusive and open marine spirit, which is consistent with the innovative and creative development of marine cultural characteristics in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. I hope to transform the research results through teaching and research, cultural and tourism video shooting, or cultural and creative design."

"Youth are the adhesive for the future development of cross-strait relations, and can play a mutually beneficial and win-win situation for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations." Xie Yahui said, welcoming Taiwanese youth to visit the Greater Bay Area with open hands, perhaps there will be new gains.

Building a Platform to Promote Cross Strait Teacher Exchange

"I have a close relationship with my students, who are also teachers and friends. They will call me 'Guo Ge'. Guo Yilong comes from Taiwan and has been teaching in Zhuhai for 11 years since graduating with a PhD from the University of Iowa in the United States. Currently, he is the director of the Teacher Education Development Center at the Beijing Normal University Hong Kong Baptist University Joint International College." We hope to cultivate top-notch innovative talents with both international perspectives and patriotism, with the goal of leading students to the world. "

Taiwanese teacher Guo Yilong provided pictures by interviewees

"In the past 11 years, I have not only achieved good results in teaching, but also made certain achievements in research, and have integrated well into the teaching system of mainland China." Guo Yilong said that his current teaching and research are in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, and he is an expert in the social science expert database of Zhuhai City. He has also obtained the Guangdong Province Hong Kong Macao Taiwan high-level talent certification, which can be said to grow together with the Greater Bay Area.

"I think the development of infrastructure such as high-speed rail and highways is particularly fast. In the past, I needed to travel by bus to my hometown of Guangdong Dapu to 'find roots', but now high-speed rail can reach me." Guo Yilong also mentioned the integrated development of education in the Greater Bay Area, such as more and more Hong Kong and Macao universities opening branch campuses in mainland cities of Guangdong.

"Exchange promotes understanding, mutual benefit creates win-win situations." Therefore, Guo Yilong divided his goals into "short, medium, and long-term", using traditional Chinese culture as a platform for communication and contacting teachers from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. "In the next five years, I hope more teachers from universities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait can walk around and exchange visits with each other. At that time, I will also help guide Taiwanese teachers who come to the mainland for exchanges in their daily lives."

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