Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

IT seems to be a very natural thing for Xiangmihu Subdistrict in Futian District to be developed into an international community, as opportunities, geographic advantages and cordial human relations have created favorable conditions for it to build an open, inclusive and harmonious environment for expatriates.

The subdistrict has gathered 115 foreign-funded enterprises and 342 Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan firms, and is home to Fortune 500 companies such as Walmart China, Amer International Group and China Merchants Bank.

With a livable environment and complete supporting facilities, Xiangmihu has attracted 1,422 foreigners from 64 countries to live and work in the subdistrict, of which the largest proportion are South Koreans, accounting for 533.

In 2011, the subdistrict started to build Donghai Community under its jurisdiction into an international cultural community, as the community itself held many cultural activities and there were around 1,200 foreigners living there at the time, more than 700 of whom were South Koreans.

“We didn’t force ourselves into building an international community. [The opportunity came when] the former deputy president of the South Korean chamber of commerce and industry in Shenzhen came to us and wanted to hold an event with us, of which we were very supportive,” said Xie Hong, the women’s federation chairwoman with Xiangmihu Subdistrict.

The subdistrict has been forging a friendly relationship with the chamber ever since. In 2014, the two sides jointly hosted a cultural week in the subdistrict to enhance bilateral cultural exchanges.

The cultural event later developed into an annual Sino-foreign international community carnival embracing a variety of cultures.

“We’ve had a good relationship with Xiangmihu over the years and the subdistrict has provided us with very good venues to hold activities,” said Chung Woo-young, president of the South Korean chamber of commerce and industry in Shenzhen.

Chung has been living in Shenzhen for over 20 years. “I think Shenzhen is the most suitable city for expats to live and work in China and I feel proud to live in the city,” he said.

According to Xie, many of the subdistrict’s activities have incorporated elements of internationalization. For instance, the “Voice of Xiangmihu” poetry recital evening gala, an event that echoes World Book and Copyright Day, invites residents from home and abroad to deliver recitations of Chinese and foreign poems.

“We want to build a platform for foreigners to be integrated into our community as much as possible, to participate in our activities and community construction, and to provide advice regarding our services,” said Xie.

In order to improve the convenience for expats working and living in the subdistrict, Xiangmihu is also preparing to build an international friend service station to provide one-stop services, including residence permit application, visa consultation, dispute mediation and driver’s license replacement and issuance.

“It’s a nice place to live. It’s quite green and the road has shade thanks to the trees. I can also go walk in the hills behind my apartment,” Patrice Guilemond, an IT manager, told the Shenzhen Daily.

Guilemond has been living in the subdistrict for six years. “The people are also very friendly. One evening, I saw some people doing tai chi. I was curious about it and they were nice to let me try with them.”

“Xiangmihu has a beautiful natural environment, quality supporting resources, various cultural activities and a relatively large number of foreign talents, making it the perfect place for building an international community,” Xie summarized.