LIN HANTING

A love of new challenges prompted Lin Hanting's decision to study at Dalian University of Technology in Liaoning province after he graduated from high school in Taiwan.

"I wanted to go somewhere far from home, just to take a risk," Lin, 21, told Gen Z's Words.

But he didn't want it to be too big a risk, such as going to a college overseas. Lin had communicated with people from Western countries, and the experience felt "foreign" to him. "You can tell the difference between yourself and them. The two thinking patterns are totally different," he said.

The mainland became an obvious choice for Lin, as it was sufficiently far from home, but still close enough to his origins and culture.

"The number of classmates excelling at their studies here in Dalian is far higher than in Taiwan," Lin said.

But this kind of pressure doesn't seem to be a problem for him. Instead, it's more of an opportunity.

"I came here for a more competitive environment, a place where I can improve myself. I have a bunch of things I want to learn every day," he said.

Lin also said that education in Taiwan focuses more on the pursuit of a stable life. Eager to embrace changes and challenges, he prefers life on the mainland where, he said, efforts are rewarded.

During the past year, Lin has seen many Taiwan students at his university and neighboring schools who are enjoying living and studying in Dalian.

Asked to choose three words to best describe the mainland, Lin opted for "competition", "solidarity" and "splendid". He said young people on the mainland are constantly competing with one another and striving for better grades, bigger prizes, and a brighter future. But when they face difficulties, they unite and achieve much together.

Lin witnessed such unity among young people on the mainland when United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last month. He also voiced disappointment with the indifferent attitude held by some people in Taiwan toward this visit.

"Young people in Taiwan today care less about politics and more about profits. We need to stand together and be aware that Taiwan is a part of China, and this will never change," he said.

Lin has also witnessed a new trend on Sina Weibo, where netizens discuss the fact that many streets in Taiwan are named after mainland cities. "I think this can be regarded as a kind of nostalgia for our motherland, for our roots," he said.

He hopes that citizens from the mainland and Taiwan can work together to make China a better place.

However, a more immediate but much smaller goal for him is to take his friends in Taiwan to the Palace Museum in Beijing.