🌟 As cross-strait relations mark 45 years since the landmark 1979 'Message to Compatriots in Taiwan,' experts highlight a clear trend: economic and cultural integration between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland is reshaping the region’s future – despite political headwinds.
💼 Trade between the two sides has skyrocketed, doubling from $160 billion in 2011 to $328 billion in 2021. Over 350,000 cross-strait marriages and 130+ million mutual visits since 1988 prove that cultural bonds are thriving too. 'Both sides are one family,' notes Zhou Wenxing, a Nanjing University scholar specializing in cross-strait politics.
⚠️ But challenges remain. Under Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen, mainland investment from the island dropped 44% compared to earlier administrations, while mainland students in Taiwan fell by 90% since 2016. Analysts blame 'external interference' and shifts in Taiwan’s political landscape for the slowdown.
🚀 Looking ahead, Beijing’s new policies aim to boost high-quality integration, leveraging the mainland’s economic strength. As one expert puts it: 'Shared prosperity isn’t just a slogan – it’s the blueprint.'
