Lin Guanghui, a 45-year-old Taiwanese who has worked on the Chinese mainland for a dozen years, was recently elected member of a neighborhood committee in the Huana resident community in Tianjin Municipality, north China.

Lin, born in Taiwan in 1958 but his parents came from Henan Province near Tianjin, is now a sales manager in a local real estate agency. He is the first Taiwanese chosen by his mainland neighbors to deal with public affairs in a resident community.

"When I had just come to the mainland, I lived in hotels and seldom communicated with local people, therefore I felt somewhat isolated.

“But after I moved to this residential community, I found the people around me are very friendly and kind and my own enthusiasm for public affairs was sparked," Lin said.

He said he would devote himself to his new social role by offering his best service to residents of the community and helping overseas residents mingle with local dwellers as soon as possible.

For this purpose, Lin has employed two assistants.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2003)