BEIJING,????? ????? Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- When Du Chun-i was a young student sitting in a classroom in Taiwan, studying and reciting the essay "The Notes on Yueyang Tower" written by Chinese litterateur Fan Zhongyan, he could only imagine the grandeur of the landscapes described in it, which are located in Hunan Province, on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.
Today, Du, now in his 40s, takes Hunan as his "second hometown."
Du runs a household textile business in the province. Thanks to the vast market on the mainland, the company's sales have been steadily expanding.
The year 2024 has been an important year for Du. A few days ago, the company's new mattress production facility passed the acceptance inspection and is set to begin operations in 2025.
"We have established this new production line with the expectation to beef up our scale production," said Du, who also spent time traveling to multiple regions on the mainland over the past year to draw inspiration from Chinese cultural elements such as local embroideries in Hunan and Suzhou as well as traditional Chinese ink-and-wash paintings for developing their new products.
In Du's view, his company's development also serves as a convincing example of Taiwan compatriots and entrepreneurs sharing the opportunities of Chinese modernization.
Du said the appeal of the mainland's market and the practical guarantee provided by various policy measures have instilled confidence in Taiwan businesses on the mainland. "For our company, measures such as the continuous expansion of domestic demand and enhanced intellectual property rights protection have all assured us more in a long-term operation in Hunan."
The year 2024 was also a significant year for 46-year-old Chen Ching-Tsao from Taiwan, who is now an associate professor at Xiamen University in Fujian, a province facing Taiwan across the Strait.
Over the past 30-plus years on the mainland, Chen has grown from a student into a teacher, forging his own path and finding a true sense of belonging.
With the help of a local federation of Taiwan compatriots, Chen traced the history of his ancestors' migration to Taiwan over 200 years ago, visited his ancestral hometown in Fujian, and reunited with his kin.
This is similar to root-seeking trips made by many other people from Taiwan.
In April, Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, led a group of young people from Taiwan and attended a ceremony in northwest China's Shaanxi Province to pay homage to the Yellow Emperor, a legendary common ancestor of Chinese people. In November, Wang Jin-pyng, former leader of Taiwan's legislature, visited the village of Baijiao in Fujian to worship his ancestors.
"Our roots are in the mainland," Chen said, hoping that more Taiwan compatriots will come to the mainland to seek their heritage and culture.
Having worked on the mainland for over 20 years, Jane Chang, who was born in Taiwan and currently serves as executive vice president of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, feels "busy yet happy" all the time.
Reflecting on the past year, Chang regards organizing and participating in cross-Strait youth exchange activities as the warmest chapter of the year, including a trip of young people from Taiwan to the Yungang Grottoes where they took part in a cross-Strait youth exchange and study camp.
"The friendship between young people from across the Strait is truly unforgettable," she said while recalling these experiences.
She believes that Taiwan's youth cannot and will not be absent in the rejuvenation process of the Chinese nation, and she looks forward to more young people from Taiwan "getting to know the real mainland."
"For all Chinese people on both sides of the Strait, no matter how far we go, we will never forget our roots; no matter how long we are separated, we will eventually reunite," said Chen.