Belonging beyond the Strait

"I felt like a fish in a small bowl,"Hsu Tao said, recalling his early years in Taiwan. "Coming to the mainland was like being released into the ocean."

At 32, Hsu, a Taiwan native, is a co-founder of a Beijing-based technology startup and, more recently, a member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang in Taiwan. His journey — from a young entrepreneur crossing the Taiwan Strait in search of opportunity to a political newcomer hoping to shape dialogue between the two sides — mirrors the choices faced by a growing number of Taiwan youth today.

Hsu first arrived in Beijing in 2017. The dry northern air and fast-paced urban life felt unfamiliar, and his Taiwan accent also caused confusion in everyday communication."People sometimes misunderstood what I was saying," he recalled.

Those early moments, however, soon became part of a broader process of learning and adaptation. As Hsu adjusted to life in Beijing, he began to see differences not as a barrier, but as a source of possibility.

That mindset would later shape Baocase Technology, the company he co-founded with a partner he had met years earlier in Taiwan — an exchange student from the Chinese mainland. Reuniting in Beijing, the two decided to start a business together.

Their venture grew into an online platform offering flexible employment solutions. It helps restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets meet labor demands during peak periods, while providing students and homemakers with part-time job opportunities.

"Our company's 'official language'is a mix of Mandarin spoken with accents from Taiwan and northeastern China," Hsu said. "It reflects the diversity of backgrounds we come from — and how people can work together despite their differences."

That diversity also influenced how the company developed. Hsu observed that entrepreneurs from Taiwan often emphasize emotional connection and corporate culture, while their mainland counterparts tend to focus on efficiency and execution.

"These approaches complement each other," he said. "We've learned to support one another, and that's what allows a business to grow."

Today, Baocase serves more than 20,000 businesses nationwide and certifies over 300,000 workers each month, having generated some 10 million flexible job opportunities across China.

As his company expanded, Hsu also noticed a broader trend taking shape around him. Increasing numbers of young people from Taiwan were coming to the mainland to study, work, and settle.

"Many now arrive right after graduation," he said. "They're looking for space to develop their careers and explore new possibilities."

In his view, this generation differs from earlier waves of Taiwan businesspeople who came with capital and experience. Many of today's arrivals are starting from scratch — armed with ideas, energy, and a willingness to take risks.

"The opportunities here feel boundless," Hsu said. "On the mainland, bold ideas have a real chance to take root."

He contrasted this with his earlier experiences in Taiwan, where some of his ideas were dismissed by investors before they could be tested.

"Dreams are like seeds," he said."Here, the soil feels fertile. Effort can bear fruit."

Over the years, Hsu has come to call himself a "new Beijing resident". The term, he explained, reflects not only where he lives and works, but how deeply he has integrated into everyday life — from renting an apartment to navigating administrative procedures, often with guidance from local authorities.

"The living environment here makes me feel secure," he said."There are also many cross-Strait programs that help young people from Taiwan settle down."

When friends from Taiwan visit Beijing, Hsu often becomes their guide.

"That shift — from being a guest to becoming a host — gave me a real sense of belonging," he said.

This sense of belonging also connects to history. Hsu's ancestral hometown is Huanggang, in Hubei province, a place he had never lived in but long felt drawn to.

"When I finally visited, I was overwhelmed," he recalled. "It felt like touching something deeply rooted in my bloodline."