From pop songs to classical poetry, exchanges reveal enduring ties among youth

The arena darkened as thousands of fluorescent light sticks began to sway in waves. Within moments, the opening notes of Phoenix Legend’s The Hottest Ethnic Trend echoed through the venue, prompting more than 3,000 young voices to sing along. The chorus had barely faded before another familiar hit, Cyndi Wang’s Love You, sent the crowd into another round of cheers. For a moment, it felt less like a cross-Taiwan Straits exchange event than a packed pop concert.