In 1948, Tian Qichang's life took an irreversible turn when his father was forcibly drafted to the Taiwan region during China's civil war. For three decades, the family remained separated by the Taiwan Strait until Tian's determined journey to Hong Kong in 1979 finally reunited them – a story echoing thousands of divided families' plights.
Driven by this experience, Tian quit his job in the 1980s to establish a cross-strait liaison office. His grassroots initiative delivered over 10,000 family letters and facilitated emotional reunions in Hong Kong for economically disadvantaged families. \"The strait couldn't sever blood ties,\" Tian once told local media, emphasizing his belief in people-driven connections amid complex cross-strait relations.
This quiet humanitarian effort, operating outside formal political channels, highlights the human dimension of regional divisions while showcasing grassroots efforts to maintain familial bonds. Analysts note such initiatives laid groundwork for later cultural exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan region.
