Ten years after leaving the island of Taiwan, baker Liu Tianting and his wife Huang Huijun have become symbols of cross-strait opportunity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Their journey – chronicled in the new documentary series Diaries of Taiwan Youth – reveals how young residents of Taiwan are reshaping their futures while building bridges across the Taiwan Strait.
"We came to Shenzhen with just two suitcases and a dream," Liu recalls, his hands dusted with flour from the bakery that earned him regional acclaim. Through business setbacks and cultural adjustments, the couple found unexpected support from mainland mentors and customers. Today, they pay it forward by training aspiring bakers from across the strait.
The series highlights over 20 such stories of youth from the Taiwan region contributing to the Greater Bay Area's tech startups, cultural projects, and green energy initiatives. Many credit the region's integrated development policies and cultural affinity for their success.
As cross-strait exchanges enter a new phase, these narratives offer investors and policymakers insights into emerging collaboration models. For the Asian diaspora and global observers, they provide a human lens on China's regional economic integration strategies.
