Zhu Zhentian (Left) shares his story in Pingtan, the closest geographical proximity on the Chinese mainland to the island of Taiwan.

"Pingtan is the first place for me to work on the mainland." Akin to many Taiwan compatriots who come to the mainland searching for a new career or business opportunities, Zhu left Taiwan for Pingtan on the recommendation of a friend in April 2017.

Five years into the relocation, Zhu has gained both zealous support and friendship from fellow compatriots at work. “Oftentimes, I was so touched that I burst into tears." Zhu Zhentian, who had been in the financial industry for years, is a rational person, and Pingtan’s experience had him familiarize the island and fall for it. Nowadays, some of his friends in Taiwan also come to work and live in Pingtan under his introduction. 

Zhu is a native of Kaohsiung and has been working in Taipei after graduating from university. However, Zhu Zhentian was interested in Pingtan. "I want to go and see it for myself," Zhu confided.

In April 2017, he boarded the Haixia, a high-speed passenger ship shuttling between Pingtan and Taiwan to work in the finance industry in Pingtan. 

Initially, he was anxious and wasn’t sure how to deal with his colleagues or express himself. Fortunately, his enthusiastic colleagues always bring him infinite warmth.

Zhu noted that almost every day, his colleagues would warmly invite him to join their lunch groups, initiate small talks over meals, or sometimes they would bring him along on their food hunt. Some even went as far as taking care of his palate whenever they ate out. For instance, they were always considerate enough to check back on him with their orders.

Later on, the easy and pleasant communication defused his apprehensiveness and opened his heart to talk about the specialties and sceneries of his hometown in Taiwan...In this way, Zhu Zhentian got a new understanding of Pingtan little by little through the advances of his colleagues.

In 2018, Zhu was transferred to a new post - an assistant to general manager of Pingtan Financial Innovation Service Co. At his new post, he gave full play to his professional expertise in carrying out the cross-Straits youth innovation and entrepreneurship competition, establishing a sound interaction with Want Want Holdings from Taiwan and introducing some industrial projects to Pingtan.

Looking back on that year, he said that the competition made him grow and many people knew about Pingtan for it. To steel himself, he volunteered to work in the grassroots unit.

In May 2020, he started to work in the Jinjing District Administration. Zhu found it challenging to handle “hodgepodge” routine agendas such as investment promotion, Covid prevention, safety management, and pacifying disgruntled villagers. My colleagues keep on the go between the countrysides and project sites. “It’s the job in the district that made me realize what it is to serve the people.”

Working under a tight schedule made him realize the good intentions of grassroots workers and the communication skills with the people. Especially in the Covid emergency response, the workers took turns to be on guard, Zhu was moved to tears by their dedication.

In interviews, he is always grateful for what he has experienced. “In Pingtan, I truly feel the people’s love for the motherland, which makes an impact on me. I also shared what I saw in Pingtan with friends in Taiwan and they are now able to get a true picture of Pingtan and the mainland. 

Zhu pointed out that working in Pingtan is a choice he never regrets. He will continue to serve as a bridge offering up-to-date information to bring closer young people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

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