As young people take to the stage, Jiangsu puts down the welcome mat

BEIJING, April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China Daily: 

A banner of welcome has been unfurled for the world by Jiangsu, one of China's most progressive and alluring provinces.

In Suzhou, which marries aesthetic beauty with modernity, a program called Go Jiangsu – Footsteps in Jiangsu: Foreign Youth's Travelogue was launched on March 29.

At the launch ceremony, a survey titled Report on the View of Global Youth on Jiangsu was published. The survey included responses from hundreds of young people coming from 60 countries, among whom 60 percent said they had visited or lived in Jiangsu, the longest period of residence being eight years. Respondents said what attracted them most to Jiangsu was its "beautiful environment" and "robust economy".

More than 10 young people from countries including Bulgaria, Cameroon, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, the United States and Uzbekistan took part in the "Footsteps in Jiangsu: Foreign Youth's Travelogue" event opening ceremony at the Suzhou Industrial Park. They were enthused about Suzhou and expressed their admiration for Jiangsu at the foreign youth roundtable.

Melina Weber from Germany, who has a particular fondness for xiaolongbao, a type of steamed bun, said she had taken part in activities relating to Suzhou Industrial Park before even coming to China. Since then she has developed a strong interest in Jiangsu's industry and Jiangnan traditional culture. She loves Chinese painting and embroidery, and hopes to experience Suzhou embroidery directly, she said.

Baidak Melissa from Russia said she was taken by the area's dynamic relationship between economic and technological development and the beautiful natural environment. Jiangsu's advanced concepts of urban governance are a lesson for the rest of the world, she said.

Alexandre Guery, a French Gen Zer who said he has visited Suzhou many times, judged Suzhou to be a great city in which to live, with superb scenery and classical gardens. Guery, an IT engineer, said he is looking forward to experiencing China's high-quality development by visiting economic demonstration zones such as the Suzhou Industrial Park.

Since the Go Jiangsu event was first held in 2018, various activities have been held throughout the province on more than 20 occaisions, with more than 200 young people overseas taking part in offline activities, the aim being to showcase Jiangsu to the world, encouraging more global visitors and exchanges.

Over the past six years, the number of followers of Jiangsu's overseas official social platform account has grown to more than 3.8 million. More than 10 central and local media, including Xinhua News Agency, CCTV and China.org.cn, have reported extensively on "Go Jiangsu" activities.