Standing at 173 cm, Hung Yu-tien is the tallest player on her volleyball team, so she was surprised to see her opponent Li Yushan, who is 197 cm tall.

"I thought to myself, 'Is she really a high school student?'" Hung chuckled.

In the latest episode of China Daily's Strait Forward, nearly 600 young volleyball players from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao gathered in Xiamen, Fujian province, to participate in the first Cross-Strait (Jimei) Youth Volleyball Friendship Match.

Hung, 16, plays for the Taiwan Taichung Dongshan Senior High School Team, while Li, 17, is part of the Fujian Youth Team.

"In blocking and attacking, they have a big advantage," Hung said, referring to the height advantage of Li's team.

However, Li noted that Hung's team has its own strengths. "They are overall very well-coordinated, and they pushed and fought hard," she said.

The two were also amused to discover that they use different terms for positions in the sport. For example, the last position is called dapaoshou (the cannoneer) in Taiwan and zhugong (outside hitter) on the Chinese mainland; the setter is referred to as juqiuyuan in Taiwan and erchuan on the mainland.

Shared aspirations

Despite their differences, the two young athletes have a lot in common, and they both believe they can learn much from each game, regardless of the outcome.

For example, many players from both sides of the Taiwan Strait shared how the film Leap (2020) impacted them. The movie tells the legendary story of the Chinese women's volleyball team, from their first world championship victory in 1981 to the nerve-wracking battle against Brazil in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Hung and Li even had the opportunity to speak with Hui Ruoqi, the former captain of the Chinese women's volleyball team, via video chat. During the conversation, Hui encouraged them to enjoy the journey.

"I faced various difficulties, but I believe that sharing a dream with your teammates and supporting and encouraging each other toward that dream will help you grow continuously and develop a greater sense of responsibility," Hui said. She hopes players from both sides of the Strait can not only improve their skills but also build lasting friendships on the court.

They certainly did. While Li and Hung competed fiercely during the game, they instantly switched to friend mode afterward.

"Although we are rivals on the court, we are good friends off the court," Li said.

Huang Hung-chin, a representative of the Chinese Taipei Volleyball Association, highlighted the importance of cross-Strait exchanges facilitated by the sport. He explained that young people from Taiwan eagerly anticipate the cultural richness of the Chinese mainland and are striving to embrace the mainland volleyball spirit, especially that of the women's volleyball team.

"This event truly promotes emotional connections between us," he said.