Zhejiang province is actively encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship among young people from Taiwan, rolling out a series of supportive policies designed to offer them greater opportunities on the Chinese mainland.

Pan Li-chia, a mechanical engineering student from the Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan, is considering launching a startup in Hangzhou, citing emerging industries in the city such as AI, new materials and clean energy as drivers of China's high-quality development.

Pan is currently in Hangzhou attending the eighth cross-Strait youth development forum. The event, which opened on Friday in the capital city of Zhejiang, has brought together over 1,000 guests and young representatives from both sides of the Strait to explore cooperation and integration.

"The city is home to many leading tech firms, which I admire," Pan said. "It also offers appealing policies for entrepreneurship and talent development." He added that the similarities between Kaohsiung's Xizi Bay and Hangzhou's West Lake (known as Xizi Lake in Chinese) create a sense of familiarity for young people from Taiwan.

Pi Chen-yao, a student at the Changhua University of Education in Taiwan, is on her second visit to Hangzhou.

"I explored West Lake, Lingyin Temple and Longwu Tea Village, where I learned about traditional tea culture. It deepened my appreciation for the city," she said.

In 2023, Hangzhou introduced an eight-point policy package to attract and support young talent from Taiwan. This initiative covers recruitment, funding, housing and family support, including job fairs, free short-term lodging, internships, startup subsidies, rent support and education assistance for children.

Liu Jie, governor of Zhejiang, welcomed the forum's participants, pledging continued efforts to build platforms for cross-Strait exchange and create a favorable environment for young people from Taiwan.

"We warmly invite young Taiwan residents to visit Zhejiang, pursue their dreams here and contribute to national rejuvenation," he said.

The forum has become a key platform for exchanges among young people since its inception, often serving as a springboard for new Taiwan-friendly policies in Zhejiang. The province continues to improve services related to housing, employment, childcare and education to help young Taiwan residents feel more at home.

Pan Xianzhang, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, stated that the Chinese mainland welcomes young people from Taiwan to pursue, build and realize their dreams, and will take stronger steps to promote cross-Strait integration and deliver greater benefits to people on both sides.

Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang party and chair of the Taiwan-based Chinese Cyan Geese Peace Education Foundation, encouraged young people to use innovation to connect, engage in dialogue to bridge gaps and take action to carry forward shared history.

"Young people bring hope to peaceful reunification and can accelerate the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," she said during the forum.

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