At the Queshan Mountain ecological and cultural zone in the Jinan Start-up Area for Growth Drivers Transformation, Shandong province, Oceane Anna Rivoire from France and her peers tried their hand at traditional paper-cutting, carefully crafting the Chinese characters for nian nian you yu — a phrase symbolizing abundance and surplus.

"This was my first time trying paper-cutting. It's amazing how traditional Chinese culture can be condensed into a single piece of red paper," said Rivoire.

The activity was part of the Opportunity China: 2025 Global Gen Z Views on Jinan event, held from Oct 30 to Nov 1.

More than 200 participants — including youth representatives from France, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, and South Korea, as well as Chinese university students — gathered in Jinan, the "City of Springs".

The group explored the city's rapid transformation under China's national strategy for ecological conservation and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, while also experiencing its rich cultural heritage.

The event kicked off at the Innovation Center of the Jinan Start-up Area. Established in April 2021 with the approval of the State Council, the area has achieved high-quality, green, and low-carbon development over the past four years, with an average annual economic growth rate of 18 percent across its 800 square kilometers.

"Industrial upgrading here is remarkable," said Han Yu, a member of the area's Party Working Committee and deputy director of its Management Committee.

According to Han, core industrial chains in new energy vehicles, aviation, and new materials have already taken shape, while emerging sectors such as semiconductors, new energy equipment manufacturing, and nuclear technology applications are developing rapidly.

She added that construction is underway for the 66-square-kilometer Sino-Singapore Jinan Future Industry City. "The Start-up Area is committed to building a green, smart, and livable new city," Han said. "We sincerely invite global talent to join us in pursuing new opportunities here."

Goh Rui Fan from Singapore highlighted that the Cooperation Opportunity List launched by the area precisely meets corporate needs.

"It transforms trust-based partnerships into an open, transparent, and opportunity-rich platform for collaboration," he said at the event. "This 'bridge to the future' connects Singapore's strengths in park operations and green technology with Shandong's vibrant innovation ecosystem and vast market potential."

Tradition meets innovation

An exchange session at Shandong University of Political Science and Law (SDUPSL) brought together Chinese professors, students, and international Gen Z participants to explore new ways of sharing Jinan's culture with the world through storytelling.

Hu Xiaoqing, vice-president of SDUPSL, emphasized the importance of enriching China's cultural exports in response to current global trends. She called for a multi-dimensional approach that integrates politics, culture, and the economy to further enhance national soft power.

The delegation also visited the Queshan Mountain ecological and cultural zone. Dressed in hanfu — traditional attire of the Han ethnic group — participants learned willow weaving and paper-cutting from inheritors of intangible cultural heritage.

They then toured a demonstration station for low-carbon vehicle-grid interaction, where they learned about the latest electric vehicle charging and discharging technologies. A highlight of the visit was a 15-kilometer ride aboard a Level-4 intelligent connected bus — capable of fully driverless operation on city streets — offering a vivid display of Jinan's cutting-edge eco-friendly transportation.

"It's incredibly smooth," said Maksat Myradov from Turkmenistan. "I hadn't realized Jinan's green transportation was already this advanced."

Known as the "City of Springs", Jinan also treated the visitors to the sight of its famous Baotu Spring at high water, recreating the picturesque scene of "clear springs flowing over stones", as depicted in ancient poetry. The view drew repeated admiration from the young delegates.

At Daming Lake, they listened to Shandong clapper ballads and even tried performing the art form themselves. Some participants also attempted to speak the Shandong dialect, fully immersing themselves in the local culture.

"In Jinan, I see Chinese-style green wisdom," said Veldesen Yaputra from Indonesia. "Sustainability isn't just about technology — it's a way of life, flowing from the past to the future and continuously nourishing the world, like the spring water."