Intl. journalists see Shenzhen as model for the world

A nine-member media delegation with the China International Press Communication Center, featuring journalists from Asia, Africa, and South America, is currently immersed in a three-day exploration of Shenzhen that started Monday.

Abdelwahab Guma Mohamed Naiem (Front) of Sudan’s Sinopanorama.net photographs a presentation on the multilingual EyeShenzhen platform during a visit to Shenzhen News Group yesterday. Photos by Lin Songtao

Their visit revolves around understanding the remarkable achievements of Shenzhen’s reform and opening up, the Chinese path to modernization, and the dynamic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Hailing from countries such as Pakistan, Laos, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uruguay, and Sudan, these journalists bring a wealth of international perspectives to their Shenzhen experience.

In the afternoon, the delegation engaged with the Shenzhen News Group, delving into the institution’s history and evolution. A highlight of their visit was a friendly exchange with representatives from the local English newspaper, Shenzhen Daily. 

International media delegates engage in a lively exchange with Shenzhen Daily representatives during a visit to Shenzhen News Group yesterday afternoon.

This interaction provided the journalists with valuable insights into Shenzhen’s media environment and its crucial role in broadcasting the city’s narrative to a global audience.

The international journalists have been profoundly impressed by Shenzhen’s rapid development and its distinctive development model.

Monica Mpambawashe, executive editor of Zimbabwe news platform ZimNow, praised Shenzhen’s vibrant atmosphere, youthful energy, and commitment to sustainable development. 

She highlighted the city’s green spaces and lack of pollution — maintained despite its rapid growth — alongside its advanced technology, like humanoid robots, citing both as evidence of forward-thinking leadership building a city for the future.

She also underscored the importance of willpower and political determination, as evidenced in Shenzhen’s history, as crucial factors for achieving such remarkable progress. “Shenzhen is just the role model,” she stated.

Delegation members share reactions during a discussion with Shenzhen Daily representatives yesterday afternoon.

Valeria Machado Martinez, a journalist from Uruguayan newspaper Grupo R Multimedio, echoed these sentiments, describing Shenzhen as a city whose development model “can and should be replicated in other parts of the world.” 

She expressed a desire to spend more time getting to know the city and its people, finding these exchanges invaluable for sharing Shenzhen’s story with a global audience.