When Brecken Neumann from the United States and his family saw Shanghai for the very first time on March 22, they were greeted not as strangers but as long-awaited friends, thanks to a bond forged through Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, or RedNote.

The story began on Jan 14 when Neumann, from the state of Mississippi, shared a photo with his 14-month-old daughter on RedNote, writing, "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!"

He is one of the huge number of US TikTok users who flooded to RedNote around the beginning of this year to explore alternative social media platforms due to potential TikTok bans. From monthly salaries to medical insurance, netizens from the two countries share almost everything about their life.

A Shanghai-based user who goes by the name Rongrong, a mother of a 17-month-old girl, responded to the post with a family photo and greeting. Their online interactions quickly went viral on international social media platforms, with one X post accumulating over 7.9 million views and 380,000 likes. Netizens around the world celebrated the exchange, with one remarking, "Isn't this just how the world is supposed to be?"

Months of daily conversations followed, as the families swapped parenting tips, cultural insights and snapshots of daily life. By March, the Neumann family embarked on their trip to China. After a 15-hour flight, they were greeted at the airport by Rongrong's family holding a specially prepared welcome banner featuring the Neumanns' photos.

The meeting was marked with gifts. The Neumanns presented custom hoodies with Chinese characters meaning "Let's be friends", while Rongrong's family presented gifts including qingtuan (glutinous rice balls) for unity and painted fans tailored to each member's interests.

Over the following days, the families explored Shanghai's landmarks like the Bund, Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Disneyland. The toddlers, despite language barriers, shared snacks and comforted each other. "I imagined awkward silences or crying kids, but they connected naturally," Rongrong wrote on RedNote, sharing snippets of their trip and marveling at how quickly they warmed up through the universal language of childhood.

Neumann was amazed at China's modernity and tradition, from delivery robots to people's hospitality. "The sense of community here is remarkable. Everyone seems ready to help and welcome you," he told Shanghai-based news portal ThePaper.cn. "Seeing it in person obviously is 100 percent better than watching a video."

Rongrong credits their story's global resonance to its authenticity. "We shared real joy of our families, not curated perfection. In today's world, people crave simple human connections," she said, adding that both families hope that their friendship would extend to future generations.

A growing trend of international visitors conducting their offline experiences in China has been seen this year. As of March 18, more than 930,000 foreign nationals have entered China through Shanghai's airports since the start of the year, reflecting a 50 percent year-on-year increase, according to official statistics. Of these arrivals, 480,000 utilized visa-free entry policies, representing a 3.5-fold rise year on year.

Among them is 20-year-old US YouTuber Darren Jason Watkins Jr, better known as IShowSpeed, whose subscriber count surged to 37.2 million during his ongoing China tour. His livestreams, which feature impromptu interactions with locals in Beijing and Shanghai these days, have captivated global audiences, with one six-hour Shanghai broadcast attracting over 5.6 million viewers. "The internet bridges us all," commented global audiences. "We need more of this!"

Similarly, US basketball enthusiast Jiggly Boy launched a China tour in March after discovering the nation's passion for the sport online. From CBA games to water marbling, he recorded his trips, declaring, "Everyone has been so kind and friendly."