Changzhou and Taiwan have a closer relationship since the second half of last year. Taiwan youth innovation projects witnessed a spurt of development in the Creative Canal 5 Block in Zhonglou district of Changzhou city. 16 youth entrepreneurship programs have been settled in one year and most of them have begun to make profits.
The coffee shop has been open for more than three months and its daily turnover has reached to more than 1,000 yuan. Mrs Xu, a native of suzhou, is enjoying coffee here with her friends after finding it on Weibo.
Mrs Xu, customer
Drinks here are very similar to what I've had in Taiwan and the whole block is very artistic.
Actually, the Creative Canal 5 Block is a plus in addition to the charm of shops here.
Zhong Wujiang, a young Taiwan entrepreneur
The Canal 5 has been already famous and typical in Changzhou. This company is very popular in the market.
The Canal 5 project focuses on asset-light items, including cultural education, advisory bodies, training institutions, e-commerce, etc. Now, there are nearly 20 Taiwan youth entrepreneurship programs, accounting for nearly 30% of the total number of businesses in the block. This block has multiple exhibition spaces such as small theater and exhibition hall and regular cultural activities have become regular. In addition to traditional festival interactions such as Happy Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival Reunion, nearly 100 creative themed cultural activities will be held throughout the year, such as Grand Canal Cultural and Creative Festival, directional challenge competition and citizen photography festival. At present, the Creative Canal 5 Block has become a gathering place for artistic youth both in Changzhou and surrounding cities, and also provides many opportunities for young people on both sides of the Taiwan straits to communicate.
Huang Shijie, a young Taiwan entrepreneur
A lot of activities will be held and attract many people to wander here. Many friends will help introduce our shop.
There are more and more youth cooperation between mainland and Taiwan in the Creative Canal 5 Block. Last year, actors and actresses of Taiwan Opera Troupe established Changzhou Songtong Cultural Communication co., LTD in September. On March 29 this year, the musical Homesickness on The Way Home cooperated by the company and Zhong Lou Cultural Centre premiered successfully. It was the first time for the two sides of folk troupes to accomplish the musical.
Songtong, a young Taiwan entrepreneur
We co-created the music and script and integrate different cultures into this script.
To make young Taiwan entrepreneurs feel closer to us, Changzhou Taiwan Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Service Center specifically set up a branch center in the Canal Creative Block 5.
Zhao Hongbo, CEO of the Canal Creative Block 5
We will put ourselves in their places to help them settle in and obtain business license by one-stop service.
It is reported that 21 Taiwan youth entrepreneurship programs were settled in Changzhou last year, ranking among the top in Jiangsu province. Changzhou will continue the "four-wheel drive" of promotion, carrier construction, policy support and service support to promote youth entrepreneurship work.
Xu Dong, Deputy Director of Changzhou Taiwan Affairs Office
We also hope that young people from both sides can achieve integrated development to work together and start businesses to achieve mutual benefits.We try to make Taiwan youth to take the lead in sharing the development opportunities and space of the mainland in Changzhou. At the same time, we gradually provide them with the same treatment for innovation, entrepreneurship and employment.
