BEIJING, July 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — During a friendly competition titled “A Digital Day Tour of Beijing” At 17th of Juneyoung contestants from multiple countries competed to unlock their missions Beijing about some of of China Most popular mobile apps, including rides with callsigns, information about the ancient sage Confucius (551-479 BC Chr), get on a bike together and post pictures of their completed tasks on Weixin, of China Domestic version of WeChat Super App. The “race” was won by whoever used the apps most skilfully.
From June 15th to 20th, young people from 14 countries took part in the Future Close-Up program 2023
They immersed themselves in the digital life of China and successfully completed the tasks on their checklists. But three days earlier, when they had just arrived Shenzhenan important technology center in the south of China Guangdong provincemost of them had never heard of these Chinese apps, let alone used them.
“They” refer to 16 young people from 14 countries, including China, The United StatesThe Great Britain, Spain, Brazil, South Africa And Pakistanwho participated in the 2023 Future Close-Up program for a six-day trip, from June 15-20show them around Shenzhen And Beijing to get a deeper understanding of it of China Achievements in developing its digital economy.
The participants, consisting of entrepreneurs, scientists and reporters, initially spent two days in Shenzhen and then four days later Beijing, including a one-day final forum. The program was hosted by China International Communications Group (CICG) and the Chinese Internet technology giant Tencentand coordinated by the CICG Center for Americas.
app life
“Chinese applications and economies are constantly evolving to provide residents with a better and more convenient life,” he said Jose Carlos Feliciano Nishikawaa Peruvian participant and deputy director of the Center for China and Asia-Pacific Studies in his native country Pacific University.
In 2009 when he first came China, he created a QQ account, an instant messaging software service and a web portal. He later used Renren, a Chinese social networking service similar to Facebook and Weibo. of China Twitter equivalent.
In 2013, he installed Weixin on his smartphone. “Every time I come to China“Weixin has new features,” Nishikawa said at the 2023 Future Close-Up Forum Beijing At 20th June. In his eyes, the continuous development of the app reflects the ever faster progress of of China digitization process.
At present, Weixin has become a multifunctional mobile application that includes instant messaging, social media and mobile payment. Most people live in China Use the app alongside other digital tools such as instant food delivery service apps and Didi Chuxing (of China Uber equivalent) to meet their daily needs.
“China “It’s a country where you can do anything with just a smartphone in your hand,” said Zhang Weiwei, director of the China Institute Shanghais Fudan University told the forum. As a result, “most people here haven’t had a physical wallet with them for five or six years,” he added.
Patrick Jack Robertson out of Great BritainCEO of Smart Air, former Beijing-based social enterprise to combat air pollution, echoed Zhang’s remarks. When the Briton first set foot on Chinese soil ten years ago, he was still dependent on cash and had to queue for an hour at the train station to get a ticket. Today he buys a digital ticket online and checks in at the train station with his passport.
“What impressed me most was how easy it is to use the technology here.” China,” Luis Filipe de SouzaPortoa young 2023 Future Close-Up participant and international relations researcher at the Federal University of ABC in Brazilsaid Beijing Review.
digital economy
The final forum of the program published a report on China and The World’s Digital Economy entitled Global Youth Wisdom: Digital Economy Makes the World a Better Place. The report was based on in-depth interviews with around 100 Gen Zs from different countries about their lifestyles and digital preferences.
China According to the report, the country has the second largest digital economy in the world by value. In 2021, the total value of the digital economy accounted for 45 percent of their GDP in 47 major countries, while last year of China The digital economy accounted for 41 percent of the country’s GDP.
95 percent of Gen Z surveyed said they engage in digital activities every day and are fully aware of the tremendous impact the digital economy is having on people’s lives. Generation Z “has a clear and dialectic understanding of the digital economy,” the report says. You have a deep sense of the positive impact of the digital economy on personal life, global economic development and social progress, believe that the digital economy makes the world a better place, and have full confidence in the future development of the digital economy , read the document further.
zhang junGeneral manager of Tencent’s marketing and public relations department, said at the forum that through the Future Close-Up program, Chinese and foreign youth have realized that they actually have a lot in common: Their expectations of digital technology are broad and Whole up and you are filled with curiosity and a desire to uncover and understand the future.
Connect
The participants, many of whom are social media influencers, shared their stories and experiences throughout the tour. Take Rida Hameda reporter for of Pakistan K21 News for example. Hameed shared a short video about her journey on Instagram, which received around 10,000 likes within minutes.
Long international flights and a busy schedule did not dampen the enthusiasm of the participants. “I want to learn more about the Chinese business landscape, meet like-minded business people, explore opportunities to work with Chinese organizations and discover market trends.” ChinaLatvian Arthur Gopak, CEO and co-founder of AlphaGamma, a business portal for young professionals, told Beijing Review.
Igor Alexander Bello TasicFounder and CEO of Meta Ventures told Beijing Review that his company is a Metaverse and technology research and development consulting firm based in Spain. During the tour, he said that this was his first visit ever Chinasomething he had been looking forward to for years and he took the tour to better understand how other young participants envision the future and how they can work together to turn that vision into reality.
“As an entrepreneur, I hope to build and understand valuable business relationships of China the digital economy so that I can strive to promote it in my country,” Jibran Ali KhanCEO of JAK Education and Innovation Consultancy and Media Brick in Pakistansaid Beijing Review shortly after arriving in Shenzhen. Ali KhanThat was also the first time China traveler and could hardly contain his excitement.
The trip did not disappoint. During her two-day stay in ShenzhenThey visited companies like TencentHonor, a global leader in smart devices, and ping onone of of China largest integrated financial groups. They had in-depth face-to-face meetings with the employees of these companies to learn more about their latest technology projects. At the final forum in Beijingthe participants in the program had the opportunity to talk to experts and other top-class young professionals in order to make further new and interesting contacts.
“Due to COVID-19, we have lost communication channels with overseas talents and high-calibre professionals, and now we need to reconnect to hear each other’s opinions.” Zhu Yutinga participant in the program and an assistant professor of marketing at the National University of Singaporesaid Beijing Review.
Li Yafang, President of the CICG Center for Americas, said in her speech at the forum that explorations were made during this trip of China All of the young participants had seen and witnessed the development of a thriving technology industry of China Getting to know society, economy, technology and culture and at the same time forging new bonds with people from different countries. “Every Chinese you meet is a witness and participant in the development of the present.” China; Their stories are a microcosm of the country’s development history in the new era,” she said.
Li said that as an “experienced youth,” she very much enjoys communicating and interacting with young people, and looks forward to Chinese and foreign youth bringing new perspectives China and to give new energy to the promotion of exchanges between them China and other countries around the globe.
The participants shared their understanding of the country during their journey into its digital domain.
With digital technologies, we are able to manage both Beijing’s Past and present, said Tasic after completing the “digital day tour” of the capital 17th of June.
As of China As digital development advances at a rapid pace, it is important to assess how the use of artificial intelligence, the metaverse, virtual reality, etc. will affect people’s lives in the future. China is at the forefront of all these aspects and the lessons learned from them China can be useful for emerging markets, Nishikawa said.
“As a Chinese citizen, I am proud of developments in.” of China digital economy in the last decade. I feel like technology is making my life easier and easier,” Zhu said.
The Future Close-Up program 2023 is just “the first step on a long journey” zhang jun called. He believed that in the future we will all unite to build more bridges and platforms for communication, mutual trust and learning, and create more opportunities for everyone to communicate with each other.
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