Abstract The economic activities between Taiwan and China have increased substantially in the last few years and many companies are now investing in China. This creates a great need for Taiwanese IT specialists to work in China. This study investigates the issues encountered by those specialists. The result shows that great cultural differences exist between Taiwanese and Chinese IT specialists. Furthermore, these differences lead to problems in mutual trust, work ethics, and values. As a result, to be successful in China, Taiwanese IT specialists are required to possess, in addition to IT know-how, a variety of knowledge in other domains such as finance and human resource management. Furthermore, while they typically encounter greater challenges in China than they normally do in Taiwan, they can also have a better sense of achievement at the same time. Finally, other issues such as leisure, personal safety, family support, and the desire for self-growth are important concerns of Taiwanese IT specialists who must work in Taiwan.