The 2024 Cross-Strait Youth Vitality Carnival was launched on Friday.
The 2024 Cross-Strait Youth Vitality Carnival kicked off with a grand opening ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo Huangpu Sports Park on Friday.
The carnival, hosted by various organizations including the Shanghai Association for the Promotion of Cross-Strait Exchanges and the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, is set to run through late August. Activities spanning sports, culture, music and job fairs, are all designed to integrate the interests and talents of youth from both sides of the Strait.
The event, the first of its kind, aims to foster deeper connections between the youth of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. More than 3,000 participants, including more than 1,000 from Taiwan, gathered to celebrate the start of this vibrant cultural exchange.
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Olympic diving champion Chen Yuxi appears at the event
Qiu Kaiming, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, emphasized the significance of youth’s role in the future of cross-strait relations.
“President Xi Jinping deeply values the Taiwanese youth, envisioning a future where cross-Strait youth learn from each other and share a common journey towards national rejuvenation,” he said.
He also highlighted the cultural ties that bind both sides, urging the youth to reject any “de-Sinicization” efforts and to embrace their shared heritage.
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The event showcases the commonalities in language and interests among young people from both sides.
Liu Ping, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai government, welcomed the Taiwanese youth to Shanghai, describing the city as a land full of opportunities and a beacon of Chinese-style modernization.
“Shanghai is ready to offer more educational and professional opportunities to help Taiwanese youth thrive here,” Liu said. “We welcome more young people to come to Shanghai from Taiwan, fathering more strength for integrated development across the Strait.”
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Activities spanning sports, culture, and music, are all designed to integrate the interests and talents of youth from both sides of the Strait.
Hsiao Hsu-tsen, director of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, one of the co-hosts of the carnival, pointed out that youth from both Taiwan and mainland China come from the same nation and share common ancestors, making the ties between the two sides inseparable due to deep cultural and blood connections.
He further stressed the necessity of enhancing communication and understanding.
“The hosting of the 2024 Cross-Strait Youth Vitality Carnival serves not only as a festival of culture and sports but also as a bridge for youth exchanges, showcasing the commonalities in language and interests among young people from both sides,” Hsiao said.
“I hope that more young people in Taiwan will come to the mainland, which will not only broaden their horizons but also strengthen cooperation and shared prosperity between the two sides.”
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Participants pose for photos with Chen Yuxi.
Olympic diving champion Chen Yuxi was a highlight of the event, engaging enthusiastically with the attendees and serving as an inspiration for many young people there.
The opening ceremony featured a rich tapestry of performances and presentations, including the debut of the carnival’s theme song, “Dream of Youth Across the Sea,” a collaboration between the Shanghai Musicians Association and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
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Young students and robots dance at the opening ceremony.
The event also saw the launch of several initiatives aimed at supporting youth development, such as the “Cross-Strait Youth Career Express” which aims to facilitate job and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people from both sides of the strait.