The "Just Shenzhen, Just Young" 5th Video Contest City Exploration & Creation Camp and Foreigner Experience made a stop in Longgang.
The event was guided by the Foreign Affairs Office of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and co-organized by Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation (SFIEC) and the Longgang District Foreign Affairs Bureau.
It brought together about 20 participants from 9 countries, including the UK, the US, and Russia. Participants explored the intersection of smart healthcare, international cooperation platforms, and printmaking heritage, experiencing firsthand the unique charm where innovative vitality meets cultural depth. Participants deeply explored Longgang's distinctive landmarks and immersed themselves in the unique charm of this district.
Play, Shop, and Experience: An Immersive Gateway to New AI Possibilities
Where can you interact with robots up close in Shenzhen? Where can you explore cutting-edge AI products from around the world all in one place? Located in Xinghe WORLD in Bantian Subdistrict, Longgang District, the Robotic Complex is quickly becoming a popular destination for both residents and participants.
As a key project supporting Longgang District's "All in AI" strategy and its vision of "Building the HarmonyOS Zone", the Robotic Complex is a robot-themed destination where people can truly step in, engage, and even participate hands-on. Here, everyone can be a creator, and AI can be integrated into virtually anything, bringing to life an innovation model in which "an idea comes in, and a product comes out".
After trying on a pair of AI glasses, British participant Mark Fisher said excitedly, "These AI glasses are incredible — a truly game-changing innovation. For someone like me traveling in China, the real-time translation feature is especially useful. English appears on the display while the translation is delivered directly through the audio. I'd like to buy a pair today."
He was equally impressed by the store's 3D printers. "The print quality is outstanding. You can hardly tell the products were machine-made. You could practically start your own factory. This is a great place to get hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology."
Chris, a student from Venezuela at Shenzhen Polytechnic University, was captivated by the Robot 6S Store located along the avenue. There, he witnessed robots demonstrating a wide range of capabilities — playing the piano, dancing, brewing pour-over coffee, and even playing soccer. Reflecting on his experience, Chris said, "I have to say, the speed and scale of technological development in Shenzhen are truly impressive. Back home, robotics is used mostly in industrial settings. Here, it's completely different. Robots can perform all kinds of tasks – playing the piano, guiding participants, dancing – with an incredible variety of models and applications. Seeing such advanced robotics technology firsthand has been an eye-opening experience."
Stroll Through The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen: Witnessing International Outlook in Beautiful Campus
Located within Longgang's International University Park, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen is an institution guided by the mission of "Combining Tradition and Modernity, Integrating China and the West". Stepping into the university library, participants are immediately struck by its soaring bookshelf walls that extend to the ceiling and its interwoven suspended staircases, creating a breathtaking visual experience. Covering approximately 20,000 square meters, the library houses more than 160,000 printed volumes and over 2.02 million e-books across disciplines, including the humanities, sciences, engineering, business, medicine, and the arts, providing students with a rich reservoir of knowledge.
"Visiting this university has always been one of my dreams, and today it finally came true," said Sally Deeb, an international student from Syria. "I truly love the atmosphere and environment here. The international campus is beautiful and incredibly inspiring."
As a world-oriented, leading research university, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen has established close partnerships with more than 160 renowned institutions across 37 countries and regions, supporting over 280 collaborative programs. Its strong international character and open, inclusive campus culture enable students from around the world to learn, grow, and thrive together, achieving both academic excellence and personal development.
Inside Longgang Energy Ecological Park: Where Waste Becomes Green Power
Environmental protection and sustainable development are among the most pressing issues facing the world today.
Located in Sifangpu Community, Pingdi Subdistrict, Longgang District, the eastern waste-to-energy plant—known as the Longgang Energy Ecological Park—is a striking modern facility clad in a distinctive steel exterior and nestled within a valley. It is one of the largest single-site waste incineration power plants in the world. Covering an area of 547,700 square meters, the park is designed to process 5,100 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day through harmless, volume-reduction, and resource-recovery treatment methods. It generates approximately 1.17 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The facility employs a self-developed seven-stage flue-gas treatment process, ensuring emissions remain well below national standards. Bottom ash from the incineration process is recycled into environmentally friendly construction bricks, creating a model of resource circularity and environmental sustainability.
Nayab, a master's student in Environmental Science and Engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, said the visit was especially meaningful to her. "This stop was particularly fascinating for me," she said. "My research focuses on developing more economical and reliable technologies for wastewater treatment, and the park's ability to turn waste into reusable resources through advanced processes closely aligns with my field of study. I'm especially interested in how resource recycling can help reduce carbon emissions. The park's efficient and economically viable approach to waste treatment has been the most valuable takeaway from this visit. I'll definitely recommend it to my classmates so they can step out of the laboratory and into real-world industrial settings, gain a better understanding of practical applications, and find new inspiration for their research."
Discovering Hehu Xinju: Encountering Hakka Heritage Within a Centuries-Old Enclosed Residence
Leaving behind the modern industrial parks, the international visitors arrived at a very different cultural landmark—the elegant and historic Hehu Xinju.
Originally built during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, around 1758, with its main structure completed in 1817, this Hakka enclosed residence is one of the largest surviving buildings of its kind in China. It was constructed by Luo Ruifeng, a Hakka native of Xingning, Guangdong Province.
Covering approximately 25,000 square meters, the complex is composed of three interconnected sections: a crescent-shaped pond, a threshing ground, and the enclosed residence itself, with the inner and outer enclosures intricately nested. Incorporating architectural features from Hakka residential traditions across Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi, it is often hailed as a "living fossil of Hakka architecture" and stands as a remarkable testament to the region's rich cultural heritage.
As he wandered through the historic courtyards and covered walkways, Gannet Wystix, an American who has lived in Shenzhen for nearly seven years, listened with great interest. "This has been my favorite part of the trip," he said. "The Hakka people are mainly found in Fujian and Guangdong, and I'm fascinated by their history and culture. The word 'ke' (客) literally means 'guest' or 'visitor'. As someone living in China, I sometimes feel like a Hakka myself. That sense of cultural connection makes this place especially meaningful to me."
For more than two centuries, this remarkable enclosed residence has connected the stories of past Hakka settlers with those of today's international visitors. The character ke—meaning "guest" or "visitor"—takes on new resonance across time and space. Within these ancient walls, generations of journeys, arrivals, and encounters quietly echo one another, continuing an ongoing dialogue between history and the present.
The 5th Video Contest City Exploration & Creation Camp and Foreigner Experience, Longgang Stop, has come to a successful close. Yet for these young participants from China and around the world, the journey of discovering Shenzhen is far from over.
The captivating moments captured through their lenses offer a vivid reflection of the city itself—a dynamic place where diverse cultures converge and innovation thrives.
With its unique blend of technological vitality, cultural heritage, ecological sustainability, and international appeal, Longgang continues to attract growing attention from visitors across the globe.
Where will our next stop be?
Stay tuned to the SFIEC WeChat official account for more exciting events and updates!
Source: Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation
