With a single keystroke — a tap on the return button on his cellphone keyboard — Brecken Neumann formed an unimaginable bond with China. By tapping on his cellphone, Brecken, a realtor who lives in Mississippi, the United States, posted his first message — a photo of him holding his adorable, three-year-old daughter, Meredith Neumann — on Xiaohongshu (RedNote). That was in January 2025.
Brecken and his wife and daughter have since traveled twice to China. On February 16 this year, Brecken and his wife, Selina Lanier-Neumann, participated in a livestream broadcast in Beijing, a countdown event to the Spring Festival gala to celebrate Chinese New Year. In Brecken's eyes, China has been growing rapidly, especially in terms of technology and the economy. China, he says, will continue striving and improving what it has to help society develop better as a whole. He also tells Women of China that his family will enjoy watching how China continues developing, specifically in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology, during the next five years.
'Hello from America'
Many Chinese netizens are familiar with the Neumanns, thanks to Brecken's first post — entitled "Hello from America" — on Xiaohongshu. He wrote: "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!" That was January 14, 2025. While he slept that night, Brecken's account filled with replies from netizens — from across China, and some from other countries around the world.
"I actually woke up and went to my office to work ... (until) my wife told me that a friend of hers saw our post going viral on X. I instantly logged into RedNote, and it was a very surreal experience to see all the wonderful comments, and people sharing pictures of their families. So many people left messages and told me they have made so many new friendships, due to my post, which is amazing!" Brecken recalls.
The Neumanns usually take a trip, and sometimes two, every year for vacation. They had planned to visit China one day; yet, they never expected it would be so soon. However, at the beginning of 2025, when they were planning where to go on vacation, their communications with Chinese netizens began on Xiaohongshu. So they thought seriously about visiting China. Brecken checked the cost and the family decided it was affordable. They booked their flights and accommodations, and in March 2025, they arrived in Shanghai for the family's first visit to China.
Did they have any concerns about the trip? "Not really, to be honest, because we always want to see firsthand by ourselves, before seeing or hearing (too much information) from the media," Brecken says.
Families Meet
When the Neumanns visited Shanghai, for a few days, they enjoyed every minute of the trip. "We really loved Shanghai's atmosphere, and all of the beautiful lighting we saw after we arrived and walked around at night," Brecken says.
What made the Neumanns' first visit to China more special was their interaction with a Chinese family living in Shanghai. A netizen, nicknamed Rongrong, had read Brecken's first post on Xiaohongshu. She left a photo of herself, with her husband and daughter, as a greeting to the Neumanns. The families, who have remained in touch online, met during the Neumanns' trip in Shanghai.
Rongrong's family accompanied the Neumanns during their sightseeing. The families took their daughters on a ferry tour of the iconic Huangpu River. "It was amazing that our families bonded over simple songs, which we sang with the girls," Brecken recalls. The families also visited tourist hotspots, such as Yu Garden and Oriental Pearl Tower. Rongrong's family introduced the Neumanns to traditional Shanghai cuisine and snacks. The warmth the families displayed to each other impressed netizens when they saw Brecken's trip updates posted on Xiaohongshu.
"Being able to experience everything firsthand, and (with) all the new friends we made along the way, has been awesome!" Brecken says. In particular, he mentions the families' experience at Shanghai Disney Resort, especially as they watched their daughters interact so closely.
The families have remained in touch, through an online chat group, since the Neumanns returned to the US. Sometimes, on weekends, they arrange video calls, so their daughters can see and talk to each other. "We literally talk about anything — the kids' school lives, various foods, and we share with each other how everyday goes on with the kids, (by exchanging) videos and photos (that record) our adventures." Brecken says. It doesn't matter that nearly 7,500 miles separate the families. The Neumanns, who have visited China twice, plan to visit China yet again, so they can see their Chinese friends, including Rongrong and her family.
"I want to experience more of the rural areas outside of the tourist areas, maybe (somewhere) near Shanghai, with Rongrong's family. I've also thought about going to Chongqing (a municipality in southwest China), because the city's layout looks so cool. After our kids grow older, my family and Rongrong's family may one day try hiking or outdoor adventure activities together," Brecken says.
'Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience'
The Neumanns' second visit to China was especially memorable. Why? In addition to visiting several famous tourist attractions in Beijing, including the Great Wall, Palace Museum, Qianmen Street and Temple of Heaven, Brecken and Selina were invited to participate in the livestream broadcast ahead of the Spring Festival gala. Brecken describes it as a "once-in-a-lifetime experience."
"We were grateful to have been a small part of it (the celebration of Chinese New Year). Experiencing the culture and atmosphere of Chinese families coming together, along with lots of amazing food and songs, was awesome! It was amazing to celebrate Chinese New Year with our Chinese friends, whom we consider our 'family' now. They showed us the true way to greet the New Year in China, in the Airbnb in which we stayed in Beijing. Our Chinese friends made a bunch of food, including dumplings, together," Brecken says.
The Neumanns had previously watched the Spring Festival gala, online, in the years prior to their visiting China. They appreciated the fine Chinese cultural elements showcased during those performances. But this year, participating in a livestream countdown event and also attending one of the gala's rehearsals was like "a dream come true" for the family.
In addition to the Spring Festival gala, what most impressed the Neumanns during their visit to Beijing? The Chinese capital is beautiful, with all of the historic buildings; meanwhile, the city has blended new charms, by establishing modern iconic attractions, Brecken says. While the Neumanns were visiting the Forbidden City, they were accompanied by a Chinese tour guide, Li Qingyang. Li has posted a series of videos on Xiaohongshu since the beginning of 2025. In those videos, he has introduced traditional Chinese culture and Beijing's tourist hotspots in English.
In the past year, Li has accompanied more than 100 international tourists during their sightseeing in Beijing. Seventy percent of the tourists contacted him through Xiaohongshu. Li says Chinese social-media platforms have deepened foreigners' interest in visiting China. The Neumanns represent an example of international friends who have formed strong bonds with China.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly May 2026)
Editor: Wang Shasha
