Young delegates from 14 countries and regions, including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Australia and Brazil, pose for a group photo with organizers of the 2025 Future Close-Up at the youth exchange program’s launch ceremony on June 24 (ZHANG WEI) 

On June 24, the 2025 Future Close-Up global youth exchange and visit program kicked off at the headquarters of Chinese Internet giant Tencent in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. Themed Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao: Driving High-Quality Development in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), this year’s event brings together young delegates from 14 countries and regions including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Australia and Brazil to explore innovation across the region and China’s approach to regional cooperation, and gain a deeper understanding of the forces driving the country’s high-quality development.

Future Close-Up was collaboratively launched in 2023 by China International Communications Group (CICG) Center for the Americas (CICG Center for Americas) and Tencent’s Marketing and Public Relations Department.

From June 23 to 30, the participants will travel to Shenzhen, Dongguan, Hengqin and Guangzhou in Guangdong, as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, for exchange activities.

Members of this year’s Future Close-Up are influential figures in their fields, including entrepreneurs, scientists, scholars and opinion leaders. This edition of the program will feature a forum on urban innovation and cultural exchange in the GBA, offering international youth a platform to deepen their understanding of the region’s innovation ecosystem and facilitating mutual learning between urban cultures.

At the launch ceremony, Zhang Jun, General Manager of Tencent’s Marketing and Public Relations Department, said he believes the event can connect people from different regions and cultural backgrounds. “With this vision in mind, we launched the Future Close-Up program, which has brought together over 100 young people from 35 countries and regions over the past three years,” Zhang added.

“Future Close-Up has always been about opening a window for young people around the world to a more meaningful understanding of China. At the same time, their participation helps us broaden our appreciation for the diversity of global cultures,” said Tao Xing, the Future Close-Up program representative from the CICG Center for Americas, at the ceremony.

“This year, we have invited international youth to visit the vibrant GBA. We hope you will embrace the journey with open minds, observe with curiosity, reflect on what you encounter and gain a uniquely personal experience of China,” he continued.

The young delegates also shared their excitement and expectations for their upcoming journey.

Torry Ko, Senior Strategy Manager for the Asia-Pacific region at Australian tech company MOLOCO, said he was especially interested in learning how leading firms like Tencent are tapping into the strengths of the GBA to fuel their rapid growth. “China’s tech industry is at the forefront globally,” he said.

“I first came to Shenzhen 16 years ago, when I was studying in China. It’s incredible to see how much the city has changed. I am looking forward to learning more about the innovation driving China’s ongoing reform and development,” Ko added.

Iuliia Bautdinova, a finance and communications analyst at multinational aerospace corporation Airbus from Russia, said she was drawn to Future Close-Up after hearing strong recommendations from previous participants. “My expectation is to get to know how people live here and what they do when they work with the future,” Bautdinova said. She is eager to take a closer look at the GBA’s renowned electronics and information industry and its ongoing development.

Hugo Fontanel from France is interested in China’s digital transformation. The omnichannel lead at British multinational pharmaceutical company ViiV Healthcare expects “to learn more about the economic development of China, especially in the tech industry.” He also looks forward to meeting more international youth who share a passion for cross-cultural exchange and adventure.

After the launch ceremony, the delegates visited Tencent’s digital exhibition hall, where they delved into the company’s innovations in AI, cloud computing and smart city technologies through immersive experiences. They also toured Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co. Ltd. to explore its research and development achievements in the medical device field.

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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