On June 24, the 2025 Future Close-Up global youth exchange and visit program commenced at the headquarters of Chinese Internet giant Tencent in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, marking the start of a six-day exploration of the high-quality development practices in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Future Close-Up was collaboratively launched in 2023 by the China International Communications Group (CICG) Center for the Americas and Tencent's Marketing and Public Relations Department.
Sixteen influential delegates from 14 countries and regions, including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Australia, Brazil, and China's HKSAR, gathered under the theme "Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao Moving Forward Together, Sharing High-Quality Development" to explore the region's collaborative growth model.
Participants—entrepreneurs, technologists, scholars, and opinion leaders with significant influence in their fields—are scheduled to visit Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Dongguan, Hengqin, and Guangzhou.
Zhang Jun, Tencent's general manager of market and public relations, welcomed delegates by emphasizing the program's mission: "We build bridges connecting people across regions and cultures."
Delegates shared diverse expectations for the journey. Australian Torry Ko, MOLOCO's Asia-Pacific senior strategy manager, plans to study how tech giants like Tencent leverage the GBA ecosystem. "Having studied in China 16 years ago, I was stunned by Shenzhen's transformation upon returning," he noted, hoping to decode China's innovation mechanisms.
Russian participant Iuliia Bautdinova, an Airbus finance and communications analyst, joined in accordnce to alumni recommendations. She aims to "observe Chinese lifestyles and career paths" while exploring the region's electronics industry.
Post-launch activities featured an immersive tour of Tencent's Digital Exhibition Hall, showcasing advancements in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and smart city solutions, followed by a visit to medical technology leader Mindray to examine healthcare innovations.
Reporter | Cai Minling
Photo | Tencent
Editor | Huang Qini, James, Shen He
