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Across China: From netizens to travel pals: American, Chinese families meet in Shanghai

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E-mail Xinhua, March 29, 2025

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by Xinhua writers You Zhixin, Wang Moling

SHANGHAI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Two months after the exchange of greetings and ideas between American "TikTok refugees" and Chinese netizens on the social media platform rednote, a new trend is emerging among Americans: traveling to China to meet their new Chinese friends in person.

One of them is Brecken Neumann, an American blogger who traveled with his family to Shanghai to meet parenting influencer Rong Rong and her family. Their in-person meeting has transformed their digital connection into a real-life cross-cultural bond, captivating millions worldwide.

The two became acquainted on rednote in January, when many Americans flocked to the platform amid the potential ban on TikTok.

On Jan. 14, Neumann, a 31-year-old real estate agent from Mississippi, posted a photo of himself holding his young daughter on the Chinese app, with a simple caption: "Hello from America! Hello everyone! This is myself and my daughter saying hello to all and look forward to all the new friends we make across the sea!"

The post received warm replies from Chinese netizens, with the most-liked comment coming from Rong Rong, who is known for posting moments from her family life.

She posted a photo of her own family, including her toddler, who is around the same age as Neumann's daughter, with a warm reply: "Hi!!!!!"

The heartwarming exchange quickly spread beyond to reach the X platform, garnering nearly 8 million views. One viral comment captured the collective sentiment: "Guys, isn't this just how the world is supposed to be?"

Following this simple exchange of greetings, the two families began chatting daily and eventually created a WeChat group called "Global Family," where they share about everything from parenting to hobbies and careers.

"Despite the 14-hour time difference, we stay in close contact," Rong Rong recalled. "The more we talked, the more we were connected. We have discovered so much in common, such as our kids being the same age and our shared love for Disney."

After two weeks of constant communication, Neumann decided to visit China. On Feb. 26, he shared his excitement on the rednote account -- where he now has 20,000 followers -- announcing that he had secured a Chinese visa and would be traveling to Shanghai in March.

The reason for the decision was simple: they wanted to visit China and explore the country. The Neumann family arrived in Shanghai on March 22 after a 15-hour flight, leading to their first in-person meeting with Rong Rong and her family. Their toddlers -- Rong Rong's 19-month-old daughter and Neumann's 16-month-old daughter -- shared snacks during the heartwarming encounter.

During their trip, the two families took a river cruise to enjoy the night view of the Bund, had a fun-filled day at Shanghai Disneyland, and sampled local snacks in Yu Garden.

"Got to finally meet our global family in person, and it was everything we expected. We are super excited and ready for the adventure and journey," Neumann said.

Shanghai Disneyland, home to the world's first and only Zootopia-themed land, proved to be a favorite destination for the two families of Disney fans.

"It's something that is hard to explain unless you are just there," Neumann posted on his rednote account. "It was one of the best days ever, and I'm forever grateful and thankful for this."

This friendship between the two families comes at a time when the world is grappling with intensified division and disputes, making such people-to-people exchanges more precious.

"We also discussed more serious topics, including China-U.S. relations. We both agree that what truly matters is setting aside prejudices and experiencing things firsthand for yourself," said Rong Rong.

Neumann's Shanghai journey is scheduled to conclude on Saturday. To him, this trip isn't just a vacation but the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

"This experience has turned us into true friends. Our bond transcends borders and is destined to endure," Rong Rong said.

Rong Rong expressed hope that their story would inspire more cross-national friendships, bringing people closer together in the "global village."

The two families plan to stay connected via WeChat and rednote app and are already making plans for future travels, possibly to the United States or another destination to explore together. Enditem