Intl. students uncover SZ' s rise via museum visits

A group of eight expats, mostly international students in Shenzhen, gained firsthand insight into Shenzhen’s extraordinary urban evolution during educational visits to two of the city’s landmark museums Saturday.  

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. As the country’s first special economic zone, Shenzhen has long been a vanguard of the country’s reform and opening-up policy.

The diverse group, hailing from countries including Senegal, Belarus, Indonesia, and Morocco, toured the Shenzhen Planning Exhibition and the Shenzhen Reform and Opening-up Exhibition Hall at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning in Futian District, and the China Merchants Group History Museum in Shekou, Nanshan District.

Amadou Barry, a Senegalese doctoral student majoring in environmental science at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, expressed astonishment at the city’s development. 

“The infrastructure and welcoming atmosphere completely shattered my preconceptions about China,” Barry noted. “From 1978 to today, the progress is something many developing nations should study.”

At the China Merchants Group History Museum, Nicholas Satyaputra Lianto, an Indonesian student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, was particularly impressed by the corporate-driven development model. 

“A single enterprise pioneering national economic growth is remarkable,” Lianto said. “The execution of Shenzhen’s 45-year metamorphosis from a fishing village to metropolis defies expectations.”  

Belarusian student Kulaha Stanislau, who studies at the Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, highlighted the city’s unique urban-nature balance. “Drone deliveries coexist with beautiful parks — this harmony between technology and the environment is extraordinary,” he observed, praising Shenzhen as “the world’s most modern city.”

Moroccan computer science student Inass Elouafi described Shenzhen as “a U.N. forum of innovation,” emphasizing its global appeal to tech professionals. “As a biotech researcher here, I’m living in the perfect ecosystem for technological advancement,” she added.  

The students’ itinerary, organized by Shenzhen Daily and EyeShenzhen, included interactive exhibits showcasing the city’s planning strategies, historical artifacts from the reform and opening-up period, and multimedia presentations on China’s reform and opening-up journey.

Group members take snapshots during their visit to the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning in Futian District on Saturday. Photos by Lin Jianping

Group members gather for a photo at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning.

Nicholas Satyaputra Lianto (L) and Alex Kalandia explore a city model at the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning.

Group members listen attentively to an instructor’s introduction during their visit to the China Merchants Group History Museum.

Saloni Choudhary of India, also a member of EyeShenzhen's Z10 club, observes an exhibit during a visit at the China Merchants Group History Museum.

Group members and event organizers strike a pose for a group photo following the event on Saturday.