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Event series provides expats with unique SZ experiences

Writer: Chen Siqi  |  Editor: Lin Qiuying  |  From: Original  |  Updated: 2025-01-27

On the afternoon of Jan. 17, the eighth session of an event series featuring foreign talent concluded at Shenzhen University in Nanshan District. A total of 13 foreign experts participated in a Spring Festival panel, sharing their work and life experiences in the city while engaging in traditional Chinese New Year activities, deepening their sense of belonging and connection to Shenzhen.

During the panel, these foreign professionals shared insights, perspectives, and their experiences living and working in Shenzhen. They also offered suggestions for urban development, support services, scientific research activities, and industrial growth.

The foreign talent event series was jointly hosted by the Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology, and Innovation Bureau and the Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Experts Affairs Bureau, organized by EyeShenzhen, and supported by various government departments, institutes, and companies.

Eledir Busanello, from Brazil, learns to make a zongzi to mark the Dragon Boat Festival during an event at the Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats on June 5, 2024. File photos

From 2024 to the Chinese New Year in 2025, the series’ eight events have attracted nearly 200 overseas professionals from diverse fields. They were given the opportunity to explore different parts of Shenzhen, enabling them to understand the city from various perspectives.

 Participants pose for a group photo after an ultimate Frisbee event at Qianhai Guiwan Park on May 18, 2024.

Events were held in Futian District, Nanshan District, Pingshan District, Dapeng New Area, the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone.

In addition to gathering high-caliber insights for the city’s future development and celebrating Chinese New Year, the series allowed expats to delve into various fields like sports, technology, ecology, and culture.

Jeroen van de Weijer from the Netherlands (L), Bernhard Schaefke from Germany (C), and Maksim Silenko from Russia are engaged in a discussion during a Spring Festival panel at Shenzhen University on Jan. 17, 2025.

Regarding technology, participants were introduced to Shenzhen’s burgeoning new energy vehicle (NEV) industry and intelligent driving technologies. Some visited the headquarters of BYD, a leading Chinese NEV manufacturer.

American George Allen Griffin Jr., founder of Deng Griffin Consulting, experiences an intelligent driving system during a visit to the Shenzhen Technology University on Dec. 18, 2024.

They also explored the Hetao cooperation zone, where they learned about preferential services for sci-tech companies and experienced a self-driving car from DeepRoute.ai, a startup based in the zone.

Ercan Engin Kuruoğlu, a distinguished expert in information engineering and full-time professor at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, praised the Hetao tour, stating, “It was very informative for me. Although I am engaged in high-tech research, I didn’t know there were so many different companies and institutes here. I believe there should be more communication with the universities and institutions in this area.”

Ana Gouveia from Portugal (C) and Sven Landrein from France (R) spend time at the Baguang Heritiera Wetland Park during a hike in Dapeng New Area on Oct. 27, 2024.

The event series also highlighted Shenzhen’s natural environment by taking participants to Baguang Heritiera Wetland Park, which is known for its unique cluster of looking glass mangroves, and the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve, the only national nature reserve in downtown Shenzhen.

Matteo Convertino, an associate professor at the Institute of Environment & Ecology at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, noted that each trip to the city’s green areas provides him with fresh insights.

Convertino emphasized the importance of protecting all living creatures in the mangrove ecosystem, as each species plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem’s overall health. “In a megacity like Shenzhen, with a population of 22 million, the rich biodiversity is surprising, and that is what makes Shenzhen unique,” he said.

The events also featured sports activities, such as an ultimate Frisbee competition, enabling the expats to explore the city’s sports venues and learn about making reservations.

Expats sail towards the Shenzhong Link during the “Sailing from Qianhai” expedition July 6, 2024.

Additionally, a sailing event offered expats the chance to navigate Shenzhen’s surrounding waters. Held just days after the opening of the Shenzhong (Shenzhen-Zhongshan) Link — a mega cross-sea infrastructure project connecting the eastern and western shores of the Pearl River Delta — this event also provided expats with a close-up view of this engineering marvel.

This edition of the event series aimed to help expats learn more about Shenzhen’s livable, work-friendly environment. It also sought to help them integrate into the local community, promote cultural exchanges, and foster international cooperation.

Olatunji Mumini Omisore, from Nigeria, an associate researcher at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, uses a brush to write the Chinese character for “bliss” with the help of a calligraphy tutor at an event held at Shenzhen University on Jan. 17, 2025.

As a pilot city for identifying high-end, professional foreign talent, Shenzhen is continuously optimizing the management of foreign workers in China and enhancing services for foreign experts.

Shenzhen warmly welcomes overseas professionals and has established eight workstations for processing foreign work permits at the district and sub-district levels. The city remains dedicated to improving services for expats and ensuring a convenient, secure work environment.


On the afternoon of Jan. 17, the eighth session of an event series featuring foreign talent concluded at Shenzhen University in Nanshan District. A total of 13 foreign experts participated in a Spring Festival panel, sharing their work and life experiences in the city while engaging in traditional Chinese New Year activities, deepening their sense of belonging and connection to Shenzhen.