Shenzhen Week opens at Osaka Expo

Video by Lin Jianping, Wang Haolan

The Shenzhen Week at the China Pavilion of the 2025 Osaka Expo was officially inaugurated at Yumeshima artificial island in Osaka, Japan today.  The event, through the captivating fusion of cutting-edge technology and intangible cultural heritage, has opened a gateway for Shenzhen to integrate with the world, allowing global visitors to witness the youthful dynamism of Shenzhen, China’s innovation-driven city.  

The three-day event will create an immersive, interactive experience under the theme "A Day in a Future Shenzhen Community," using a "3+1" layout across four key areas: green energy, smart living, intelligent health care, and innovative connectivity. These themed zones take visitors through a full day in a futuristic Shenzhen, from morning to evening, showcasing the city’s strengths in technology, innovation,and livability. Performers of the Shenzhen dance drama "Wing Chun" present segments of the dance drama at the opening ceremony of the Shenzhen Week at the China Pavilion of the 2025 Osaka Expo today. Photos by Lin Jianping

The opening ceremony featured segments of the Shenzhen-produced original dance drama "Wing Chun" and a fashion show featuring clothes made with Gambiered Guangdong gauze, a national intangible cultural heritage from the Lingnan area with a history of hundreds of years.

Performers wearing garments made of Gambiered Guangdong gauze present a segment of "Wing Chun." 

During the opening ceremony, Yan Chenhui, director of the China Pavilion, delivered a speech, saying that the Shenzhen Week event is not only a cultural exchange feast for China and Japan, but also an important opportunity for the two countries to deepen cooperation in technological and economic fields.

Visitors pack the China Pavilion.

Xue Jian, Chinese Consul General in Osaka, introduced the Shenzhen Week to the audience. He highlighted Shenzhen's close ties with Japanese enterprises in fields such as semiconductors, new energy, and intelligent robotics.

Xue Jian, Chinese Consul General in Osaka, experiences an exhibit at the China Pavilion. 

"We warmly welcome everyone to experience the charm of 'Shenzhen Innovation' firsthand — not only the creative displays at the Shenzhen Week, but also the embodied intelligent 'guide ambassador' Walker C humanoid robot, the premium LED screens, and advanced communication technology solutions at the China Pavilion," he said.  

Mitsu Nagano, executive director of the International Bureau of the Japan World Expo Association, visits the China Pavilion.

Mitsu Nagano, executive director of the International Bureau of the Japan World Expo Association, shared her connection with Shenzhen. She recalled visiting the Bureau International des Expositions three years ago, witnessing China's preparations for its Osaka Expo pavilion. She expressed deep admiration for Shenzhen-based Unilumin's ultra-clear LED screens and UBTECH’s humanoid robots, which performed a marathon in the pavilion.

"I believe Unilumin's LED screens and UBTECH's robots stand as proof of Shenzhen's world-class technological prowess, continuously captivating visitors to the China Pavilion," she said.  

Luo Huanghao, vice mayor of Shenzhen, emphasized in his speech that the Osaka Expo's Shenzhen Week marks a "new starting point" for deepening "twin-city cooperation" between Osaka and Shenzhen. Luo expressed hopes to collaborate with global partners, including Osaka, in discussing development and shaping the future, while inviting businesses to invest and explore opportunities in Shenzhen.  

(From L) Sai Wada, Executive Director of Economic Strategy Bureau, City of Osaka; Yan Chenhui, Director of the China Pavilion;  Luo Huanghao, Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen; Xue Jian, and Mitsu Nagano pose for a photo at the opening ceremony. 

2025 marks the 15th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Shenzhen and Osaka. To commemorate this milestone and promote Sino-Japanese cultural exchange, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and the Shenzhen Vitalization Symphony Development Foundation presented classical music vinyl albums of Mahler's Symphonies and a special album recorded together with Shenzhen children as gifts to Osaka and the Expo. Music, as a universal language, has opened a door for Shenzhen to connect with the world.