Editor’s Note: As the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou is known for its profound culture. As the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games is under preparation, Hangzhou has accelerated the progress into an international metropolitan, along with other sister cities in Zhejiang province. In today’s coverage of Zhejiang Highlight, we will keep you updated with the stories of expats living in Zhejiang and their endeavors to further cultural communication and construct a true, confident and lovely image of China.

1.Expats take a bite of Southern Song Culture in Hangzhou

When Marco Polo came to Hangzhou hundreds of years ago, he said that the capital of East China's Zhejiang province was the most magnificent city he had ever seen. This remark aroused the interest of Jack Klumpp, a foreign anchor of China Matters, to see what makes the city so special.

Klumpp's Italian friend Rachele Longhi, who has been residing in Hangzhou for many years, joined Klumpp on his journey. During their trip, the duo donned traditional Chinese Hanfu and took a stroll along Hefang Street and Imperial Street, which are respectively known as the commercial center and royal boulevard during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). Follow Klumpp and Longhi to explore the stories behind the time-honored shops on the two streets.

2. Expats active in Wenzhou: our life is the best epitome of China’s story

What does it feel like to live in China?

Alex, who comes from the UK, finds it interesting. Living in Wenzhou for 8 years, he has broadened his experiences by eating raw river crab, making tofu, selling wontons in the night market

Ada, a Ghanaian, feels happy. He has traveled all over Wenzhou with his camera, making vlogs to record the stories in Wenzhou. He witnessed the city’s undergoing changes, and got married and settled here.

Suma, a Mauritian girl, feels wonderful. A video-themed “epidemic prevention and control guidelines” went viral and attracted 250,000 people, which turned to be overnight fame.

Wenzhou, a famous Qiaoxiang (侨乡), home to many overseas Chinese, has attracted a group of foreigners as foreign communication team to tell the world the story of Wenzhou, Zhejiang and China in a way that is friendly and easily accepted by foreigners abroad.

Data shows that this group, locally known as “overseas communication officers”, currently has more than 80 foreign anchors. Their social media accounts have as few as two to three hundred or as many as two to three hundred thousand followers, and their videos have been broadcast up to more than five million times. “We want more people to fall in love with China, or at least let them understand a real China.” Some expats said.

3. Smart Asian Games highlights Zhejiang’s digital reform   

Relying on the rapid development of the digital economy in Hangzhou and throughout Zhejiang province, the HAGOC has made “smart” one of the central ideas of running the Asian Games. It intends to comprehensively apply all kinds of high and new technologies to the following ten fields, including smart command, smart security, smart transportation, innovative technology application, and strives to make the games a most memorable event with “Chinese style, Zhejiang glamor and Hangzhou flavor”.

The Hangzhou Asian Games will apply blockchain technology in ticketing, torch relay, financial supervision, licensed digital goods, among other aspects. At the same time, the world’s first “blockchain torch relay” will be launched via the Smart Asian Games info platform so that everyone could have the chance to be a torchbearer of the Asian Games.

4. Jiande residents go on run to welcome Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games

One hundred runners in Jiande, a county-level city administered by Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, welcomed the year of the Asian Games by each running a symbolic 20.22 kilometers along the Jiangbin greenway on Jan 1.

The 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 will be held from Sept 10 to 25 this year. Athletes will compete in 40 sports - 31 Olympic sports and 9 non-Olympic ones - during the Games. The Hangzhou Asian Para Games will be staged from Oct 9 to 15, 2022. It will host 22 sports, including 20 Paralympic sports and 2 non-Paralympic events.

Editor: Huang Yan