To Lin Kunhui, children on the Chinese mainland are spoiled by their parents, a well-meaning tradition that can ironically make them vulnerable when they grow up.

The secretary-general of the Taiwan Suicide Prevention and Cure Association now spends most of his time in life skills education and suicide prevention in Shanghai.

"When I came to Shanghai in 2008, I was so surprised to see that in such a big city there was no 24-hour suicide prevention hotline," he said, noting that Taiwan's first such hotline began operation in the 1950s.