It all began with a single photo on a Chinese lifestyle app.
Earlier this year, Brecken Neumann, a father from Mississippi in the United States, joined Xiaohongshu (also known as RED), a Chinese social media platform, out of curiosity—like many self-proclaimed "TikTok refugees" seeking new digital communities. He posted a photo of himself holding his daughter and casually greeted the Xiaohongshu community.
To his surprise, a user from Shanghai, known online as "啊啊啊啊tiu" (Rongrong), responded with warmth, sharing a family photo in return. That simple exchange sparked a connection that would span continents and cultures and eventually become a real-world friendship between two families.
Last weekend, the Neumann family landed in Shanghai, turning a digital encounter into a powerful face-to-face moment.
"I will forever treasure this experience," Brecken said, smiling as he recounted the trip.
What began as lighthearted photo sharing soon evolved into frequent chats about food, children, and daily life. Excited by their posts' viral attention—even trending on international social media platforms—the two families created a WeChat group to stay in touch.
When Brecken mentioned that he had long dreamed of visiting China, Rongrong welcomed the idea with open arms. The Neumann family could plan the trip smoothly thanks to China's visa-free transit policy.
Knowing both families had small children, Rongrong carefully curated a family-friendly itinerary, including visits to Shanghai Disneyland and a Huangpu River cruise. Concerns over cultural differences or social awkwardness among the children quickly faded.
"We worried the kids might be shy around strangers," Rongrong recalled. "But the happiness we shared made all those worries melt away."
The two families invented a "shift system" at Disneyland to manage nap times. While the others stayed with the babies, Rongrong and Brecken's wife, Selina, teamed up to bravely conquer roller coasters.
Before arriving, Brecken had one culinary wish: Shanghai soup dumplings. Selina said he wouldn't stop talking about them—so much so that the family was tired of hearing it. Naturally, their hosts ensured that xiaolongbao was on the menu, and the Neumanns loved it.
Cultural differences were present but irrelevant.
"I know there are big cultural differences between our countries," Brecken said. "But that didn't matter. When I held their child in my arms and we all took that first bite of dumplings together, I realized—we're just people. Happy, real people."
To mark their meeting, Brecken's family brought custom mugs and sweaters from Mississippi, printed in both Chinese and English: "Let's Be Friends." Rongrong's family returned the gesture with local treats like qingtuan (green rice balls) and fresh flowers.
Brecken's story is one of many. As more foreigners discover China through apps like Xiaohongshu, a new wave of cultural curiosity emerges. Users from Chile, Italy, the UK, and the US have shared their "China moments"—from Beijing hotpots to Hangzhou tech marvels.
One viral post by "狼叔"（Uncle Wolf), a well-known basketball fan, documented his first day in China and earned over 63,000 likes. Another Xiaohongshu user, Alex, a creative arts lecturer from London, has been learning Mandarin and traveling across Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou.
"Mandarin is hard," he admitted, "but I'm trying. I'll keep working on my pronunciation."
"Hangzhou feels like a city of the future," he added, amazed by the city's automated parking systems.
As of this writing, the hashtag "Foreigners in China (外国人在中国)" has amassed over 3.57 billion views and more than 13 million discussions on Xiaohongshu alone.
These stories show that cultural exchange doesn't always require big summits or formal diplomacy. Sometimes, it starts with a photo, a greeting, or a message sent across an app.
In a world often divided by difference, these small, sincere connections—like the one between Brecken and Rongrong—remind us that friendship can travel farther than politics. And sometimes, all it takes is a tap, a smile, and a willingness to say: "Let's be friends."
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