Study examines overseas Gen Z perceptions of Shenzhen

At the HiShenzhen & HiQianhai International Community Carnival and the Z Generation Global Video Challenge Awards Ceremony held Friday, the International Communication Center of Shenzhen News Group released the “Shenzhen in the Eyes of Gen Z: International Audience Research Report and Index.” The report aims to provide intellectual support for international communication efforts tailored to different audiences.

Zhang Yu, deputy director of Shenzhen Daily's content center, delivers the “Shenzhen in the Eyes of Gen Z: International Audience Research Report and Index” during the HiShenzhen & HiQianhai International Community Carnival in Qianhai on Friday. Lin Songtao

The study was jointly conducted by the International Communication Center of Shenzhen News Group and the Shenzhen Urban Research Center for Communication Innovation. It is based on online surveys and offline interviews with 125 students from more than 30 countries, as well as nearly 200 additional Gen Z-related samples collected by the Shenzhen Urban Research Center for Communication Innovation.

The research seeks to develop a systematic understanding of overseas Gen Z youth living in Shenzhen, focusing on their profiles and perceptions of the city’s image. It examines their awareness of Shenzhen, media consumption habits, emotional tendencies, and communication behaviors, with the goal of informing international communication practices that better align with the psychological and behavioral characteristics of Gen Z audiences.

Content preferences 

Members of the Z10 club take selfies during an exchange event in Nanshan on March 28. A recent survey found that Gen Z audiences prefer fast-paced, visually engaging content formats. Lin Jianping

According to the report, practical lifestyle guides are the most popular type of content among respondents, with 76% saying they consume such content regularly. This reflects a preference for material that combines practical usefulness with personal interests. Entertainment content ranks second, followed by 71% of respondents, indicating that social media is primarily used for leisure and relaxation.

In terms of content format, 89% of respondents said they rely on short videos to access information and entertainment-related news. Short videos and story-driven narratives emerged as the most favored forms of expression. 

When asked about preferred presentation formats, 73% selected short videos and 65% chose stories or reels, pointing to a strong preference for fast-paced, visually engaging content.

A bar chart illustrating content format preferences among respondents. 

The report also shows that overseas social media platforms remain the primary channels through which foreign Gen Z audiences obtain information about Chinese cities, underscoring the importance of cross-border communication in shaping urban image. At the same time, official institutional accounts are viewed as the most credible sources of information, with 68% of respondents expressing trust in them. This suggests that young audiences place considerable value on authority and reliability, rather than relying solely on self-media sources.

The survey covered 23 cities, mainly sub-provincial cities and major cities ranked among China’s top 20 by GDP. Based on their personal experiences in China, respondents evaluated these cities’ international communication performance across four dimensions: awareness, favorability, innovation, and sustainability.

Shenzhen ranked near the top overall, with a total score of 87.95, placing consistently within the top four. Respondents generally described Shenzhen as a city with strong competitiveness in innovation and sustainability and promising development prospects. However, the findings also suggest that the city has room to improve its international visibility and brand communication.

Italian Gloria D’Andrea, a student at Shenzhen Polytechnic University, interacts with a digital screen during a trip to Nanshan Engergy Ecological Park in July. Overseas Gen Z respondents most frequently associate the city with technology and innovation, a recent survey shows. Liu Xudong

Respondents expressed strong recognition of Shenzhen’s achievements in mobile payment systems, digital government services, and digital infrastructure, which they identified as key factors contributing to the city’s attractiveness. When asked to describe Shenzhen’s image, 94% of respondents selected “technology” and 78% chose “innovation,” making them the most frequently cited keywords.

At the same time, the language environment was identified as the most urgent area needing improvement. Sixty-four percent of respondents said it represents the main gap between Shenzhen and international cities, noting that language barriers directly affect first impressions and willingness to stay.

Members of the Greenwise Xplore Road Trip visit a village in Pingshan District, Shenzhen, in July. Overseas Gen Z respondents have cited language barriers as a key factor shaping such on-the-ground experiences, according to a recent study. Lin Jianping

Based on these findings, the report recommends strengthening multilingual content production, expanding bilingual usage in public signage and service information, and improving language support in public services as a core component of urban governance.

Regarding international communication strategies, respondents called for a shift away from traditional official promotion toward people-centered storytelling based on real-life experiences. The report suggests that by using authentic and diverse content, expanding outreach through mainstream overseas platforms, and incorporating external perspectives and authoritative endorsements, Shenzhen can further enhance its international communication effectiveness.