Elevating exchanges to forge cross-Strait ties

"Fulfilling one's duty begins with original aspiration, while cross-Strait ties are forged through steadfast action." The inscription, penned on the title page of political adviser Chen Xiaoyan's 2025 notebook, is a philosophy she is actively applying as cross-Strait demographics and social needs evolve.

Chen, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and an official with the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, has been calling for deeper integration between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland in recent years.

A member of the Gaoshan ethnic group originally from Taiwan and a holder of a doctorate in law, Chen has seen her proposals translate into national policy. Between 2023 and 2025, four of her proposals were designated as key annual projects by the CPPCC, while two were successfully converted into regulations.

One of her most rewarding achievements involved a proposal to waive processing fees for first-time Taiwan residents applying for travel permits to the Chinese mainland. To build her case, Chen said she traveled extensively between Beijing, Shanghai, and Xiamen in Fujian province, interviewing dozens of Taiwan compatriots to document their specific hurdles.

"A proposal is a bridge connecting people's hearts," Chen said. When the policy was officially implemented in July, she again wrote a note in her journal, saying that "the connection between people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait begins with drops of warmth".

Last year, Oct 25 was legally designated by China's national legislature as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration. She and her team were tasked with bringing together representatives of Taiwan compatriots from the island, overseas Chinese, and cross-Strait exchange coordinators to Beijing to join the commemorative meeting.

Despite health issues, business commitments, or previous plans, every person invited agreed to come. "This was the collective voice of people who had waited decades for this moment," she said.

Throughout her career as a national political adviser, Chen said she believes "what truly closes the distance between us is deep-level cultural and spiritual exchange".

During this year's session, she focused on issues including the education and elderly care sectors.

"Educators are 'ferrymen' navigating cross-Strait relations, bringing distinct regional cultures and advanced education concepts into the system of the Chinese mainland," Chen said.