NEW YORK, May 1 (WSH) — From Ningbo’s smart ports to Zhoushan’s thousand-island charm, the “In Zhejiang Connects the World” 2025 Overseas Chinese Media Interview brought together 25 representatives from 18 countries to witness firsthand the cultural richness and economic vitality of China’s southeastern coastal province.
Poetic Jiangnan, Vibrant Zhejiang
From April 24 to 28, the Zhejiang Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, alongside its Ningbo and Zhoushan branches, hosted the five-day media tour, which spotlighted Zhejiang’s natural beauty, industrial modernization, cultural heritage, and global connectivity.
Hu Huilei, Vice President of the Zhejiang Overseas Chinese Federation, opened the journey with three powerful metaphors: “the surging wave of economy,” “the pulse of millennia-old civilization,” and “the heart of a child reflecting sun and moon,” painting Zhejiang as a land of both tradition and transformation.
Ningbo: A Port City Bridging the Globe
In Ningbo, media delegates witnessed a city emerging as a global manufacturing and innovation capital. Once a vital node on the Maritime Silk Road, Ningbo is now a linchpin in China’s “Made in China 2025” strategy. Smart factories line the Yongjiang River, and Ningbo Port’s top international trade partner—remarkably—is the United States.
Delegates toured the Chinese Flower Art Museum, where centuries-old flower arranging traditions met poetic expression. “A bottle of flowers is the most beautiful encounter,” one journalist remarked. The group then explored the Ningbo Zhejiang University Alumni Science and Technology Innovation Park, a living model of China’s innovation ecosystem.
In the evening, the team wandered through Ningbo’s historical Bund Old Street and Central European Markets, experiencing the city’s “night economy” and vibrant global exchange. Visits to the Ningbo Gang Museum and Tianyi Pavilion—the oldest library in China—further showcased Ningbo’s rich commercial legacy and deep cultural roots.
Zhoushan: The Sea, the Song, and the Future
Zhoushan, located on the East China Sea, opened a new chapter of discovery for the delegation. Known for its majestic archipelago, Zhoushan blends industrial power with coastal poetry.
At the Grain Industrial Park and Laotangshan Port, journalists saw firsthand the city’s critical role in global grain trade. In the Zhoushan City Exhibition Hall, multimedia presentations outlined Zhoushan’s transformation into a modern maritime hub.
A highlight was the honorary appointment of six delegates as “Zhoushan Overseas Communication Ambassadors,” symbolized by a handcrafted fishing rope knot—a traditional emblem of unity.
Echoes of Heritage and Innovation
From the Buddhist cultural fusion at Shidu Mountain to the tech-forward Changshan Smart Manufacturing base, the visit revealed a Zhejiang both grounded in heritage and surging into the future. Artists like Zheng Hongfei and master craftsmen like Shen Guohe told Zhejiang’s story through fishermen’s paintings and traditional boat models, preserving art forms that blend nostalgia with modern vitality.
In Dongsha Ancient Town, the group experienced marine-themed intangible heritage like rope-tying, fishbone painting, and paper cutting. Meanwhile, in Daishan Modern Agricultural Park, innovation met sustainability in a 10,000-acre eco-agriculture demonstration zone.
Bridging Civilizations, Writing Zhejiang’s Global Chapter
The tour culminated at the Zhoushan Sea-crossing Bridge Exhibition Hall, where delegates viewed sand models and digital simulations of China’s world-class bridge construction achievements.
“In Zhejiang,” wrote Chen Yao of Qiao Voice Media, “we saw digital heritage, ecological innovation, and the thousand-year echo of fishermen’s horns. These stories should become part of a global narrative.”
Guo Jing, editor-in-chief of Eurofax, concluded: “With pen as boat and lens as bridge, we carry Zhejiang’s voice to the world.”
As the five-day journey ended on April 28, Zhejiang’s blend of “poetic beauty and practical strength” left an indelible impression—one the overseas Chinese media pledged to share with the world.
(Reporters: Yin Xing and Luo Runjie)
