The “Nice to ‘Sea’ U Youth Viewing the Bay Area” welcome event, hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the CPC Nanshan District Committee, Taoyuan Subdistrict, and Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS), was held at the International Conference Center of the University Town of Shenzhen on Sept. 7.

The occasion marked the official release of the “Nanshan Service Manual for Expats,” a comprehensive guide offering vital information and services to facilitate expats and international professionals to work, live, and start businesses in Nanshan. 

This initiative further broadens the scope of services for international talent in Nanshan, and reinforces the district’s commitment to building an open, inclusive, innovative, and internationalized urban area. 

Attendees included officials from the the Foreign Affairs Office of the CPC Nanshan District Committee and Taoyuan Subdistrict Office, delegates from various universities in the district, and 80 international students and talent from nearly 30 countries and regions.

Li Zhaozhi, Party chief of Taoyuan Subdistrict, extended a warm welcome to the newly arrived international students. He emphasized the event’s purpose to facilitate the students’ smooth adaptation to life and studies in Shenzhen and to encourage a deeper immersion into Chinese society.

Shenzhen’s rapid progression in higher education has seen internationalized education emerge as a distinctive hallmark of its educational landscape. As a pivotal part of the X-Lake Sciensity, Taoyuan Subdistrict is distinguished by the presence of esteemed institutions such as Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen University Lihu Campus, and Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute, Tianjin University. 

This academic hub in Nanshan continues to draw a growing number of international talents for study and residence.

The service manual for expats addresses the common challenges faced by expats and international talents in areas including work, living, study, and leisure. It encompasses a wide range of topics such as visa procedures, public transport, telecommunications, payment methods, talent policies, entrepreneurial support, community life guidance, international school information, legal services for foreigners, cross-border medical care, tourist attractions, and cultural facilities. Ouyang Zhongkun, deputy director of the global affairs office at Tsinghua SIGS, highlighted during the event that Nanshan is a vibrant and spirited place. He expressed his hope that all would align their aspirations with Nanshan’s innovative ethos to chart an even more exhilarating future.

The event day featured a guided tour for the international students and talents aboard a sightseeing bus, visiting Nanshan’s iconic structures, and experiencing firsthand the district’s multifaceted, cosmopolitan, and modern character — a blend of technology, ecology, commerce, living, and growth.

The route included such notable sites as the Shenzhen Bay Science and Technology Ecological Park, Nantou Ancient Town, Tencent Building, China Resources Tower, Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, the MixC World, the Bay Glory Ferris wheel, Shenzhen Bay Park, and the Dasha River Ecological Corridor.

Following the bus tour, participants embarked on a cruise ship to witness the awe-inspiring Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge the world’s longest sea crossing. The international students were treated to spectacular seascapes and cityscapes, learning about the bridge’s construction, innovative technology, design philosophy, and its significant impact on the economic prosperity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

“The cruise experience was great, and we were all very excited when we crossed the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. We talked about the economy of Shenzhen, the development of various places. I’ve learnt a lot from these discussions,” Alexander, an international student from Moscow, said.

Yanakorn, an international student from Thailand, was particularly impressed with Nanshan’s cleanliness and lush greenery, noting the striking beauty of the China Resources Tower illuminated at night, and praised Nanshan’s harmonious blend of nature and modernity.

Taoyuan Subdistrict has, in recent years, concentrated on the strategic development of X-Lake Sciensity and the Xili High-Speed Railway New Town, with the university town area at its heart. It is fostering a high-end international talent hub, nurturing a strong internationalized atmosphere.