November 2016. A high wall in the Minato district of Tokyo. Behind it: a Chinese embassy compound, Chinese sovereign territory, where a Taiwanese citizen with no recognized passport could apply for a thin dark-blue travel booklet that the mainland issues to people whose country, from Beijing's point of view, does not exist. The night before I flew to Shanghai, I wrote a will. Nothing dramatic — a short list on a sheet of paper. I folded it into a desk drawer and did not tell anyone it was there.

In this episode: the taibaozheng travel permit, Taiwan-China relations from a small business owner's view, J Group, the first flight into mainland China.

Contact: medicalsupporter.org | shingihou.com | [email protected]

⚠️ Personal reflections only. Not medical practice, diagnosis, or treatment advice. Please consult your physician. Names have been changed.