On June 3, a delegation of 60 diplomatic envoys from 37 countries visited Shenzhen to attend the Shenzhen Industrial Promotion Conference and tour a leading tech company, Tencent.
The visit offered them a firsthand look at the vanguard of Chinese modernization, sparking vibrant discussions on their impressions of the city's tech-driven evolution and their growing anticipation for the upcoming 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to be hosted in this coastal metropolis.
For some in the delegation, the visit was a profound return to a city that serves as the ultimate showcase of China's economic miracle. Jaime A. FlorCruz, the Ambassador of the Philippines to China, shared a deeply personal reflection on the city's decades-long transformation.
Having first visited Shenzhen in 1971, Ambassador FlorCruz noted that he said he felt fortunate to have witnessed its development over the decades. "I think that Shenzhen shows a very good example of how a city can progress if there is unity, if there is strong leadership at the top, and unity of the citizens at the bottom, and the collaboration between the government and the public sector," he observed. He further praised Shenzhen's pioneering spirit, which extends beyond technological innovation into finance and other core service sectors.
This sentiment was echoed by Norfarina Mohd Azmee, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Malaysian Embassy in China, who characterized Shenzhen as "the best example of China's reform and opening up." Reflecting on the town's evolution into a world-class smart city, she expressed keen interest in the potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to create concrete development opportunities for Malaysia.
Looking ahead to APEC 2026, she emphasized, "This would be an opportunity for our leaders to come and to actually experience and to see the potential. I think that would be a great opportunity for Malaysia."
Discussions during the visit also touched on Shenzhen's preparations for hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and its connections with other international innovation hubs. David Liang, the Deputy Chief of Mission for the Singapore Embassy in Beijing, marking his very first visit to the city, described the local high-tech landscape as "very impressive" and "very exciting."
David Liang pointed out the deep similarities between Singapore and Shenzhen, defining both as highly connected, regional hub cities focused on smart infrastructure and ecological sustainability. "So I think there are a lot of different areas that both cities can learn from each other," Liang stated, pointing to AI implementation, smart cities, and renewables as fertile grounds for bilateral cooperation, and expressed confidence that Shenzhen will do a "fantastic job" hosting the APEC meetings this year.
Reporter | Guo Chuhua
Photo | Guo Chuhua
