On May 24, 2025, the “Integration and Aspiration — the Greater Bay Area Innovation-driven Summit on Area Studies & International Communication” was grandly held at the Yuehai Campus of Shenzhen University. The event was hosted by Shenzhen University, organized by the Institute of Area and International Communication Studies and the College of International Studies at Shenzhen University, and co-organized by CNS INTERTRANS SHENZHEN CO., LTD., the College of International Studies at Shenzhen Technology University, and Jilian Group. Centered around the theme “Innovation-Driven Integration and Symbiosis: Greater Bay Area Experience and New Paradigms in Global Communication,” the summit brought together over 200 participants. These included experts, scholars, young faculty members, and graduate students from renowned universities and research institutions across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao, such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Renmin University of China, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Jinan University, Nanning Normal University, Fuzhou University, Fujian Jiangxia University, Shenzhen University, University of Macau, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Also in attendance were professionals from enterprises and institutions including China Central Television (CCTV), Dongguan New Kinetic Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and Airstar International Talent Group.
Professor Li Yonghua, Vice President of Shenzhen University, emphasized in his opening address that against the backdrop of profound transformations in the global political system and international competition landscape, Shenzhen University remains committed to promoting international exchange and cooperation. As a university at the forefront of reform and opening-up, faculty and students at Shenzhen University should actively engage in international communication and academic research, contributing to national strategies and social development. He called for providing intellectual support to China’s participation in global governance by deepening area studies and innovating paradigms of international communication.
Presided over by Associate Professor Xu Man, Executive Dean of the Institute of Area and International Communication Studies at Shenzhen University, four distinguished experts from both academic and industry sectors delivered insightful keynote speeches centered on the core theme of “Area Studies and International Communication.”
Research Professor Huang Ping from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences elaborated on the importance of transcending cultural barriers from a theoretical perspective. He pointed out that, amid the countercurrents of globalization, constructing new paradigms for cross-cultural communication presents both challenges and opportunities, requiring collaborative exploration by both academia and industry.
Ms. Li Wei, General Manager of CNS INTERTRANS SHENZHEN CO., LTD, analyzed practical challenges faced by enterprises in cross-border operations, such as transportation security, from a practical perspective. She particularly emphasized the urgent need for interdisciplinary talents proficient in both foreign languages and international regulations, calling for strengthened university-industry collaboration in talent development.
Professor Ling Zhong, Founding Dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Shenzhen Technology University, focused on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, stressing that foreign language talent cultivation must align with the strategic needs of regional technological, industrial, and cultural synergistic development to cultivate high-end talents with international competitiveness.
Mr. Bang Zeng, Head of International Operations at Jilian Group, provided a detailed analysis of the latest trends in the global footprint of Chinese manufacturing, drawing on extensive case studies of overseas factory construction. He pointed out that throughout the "Going Global" process, enterprises encounter both market opportunities and challenges such as cultural differences.
Parallel Forum I: The AI-Driven Transformation of Foreign Language Studies
Professor Chang Fuliang from Beijing Foreign Studies University pointed out that AI technology is driving a revolutionary transformation in foreign language education, significantly enhancing language learning efficiency and creating favorable conditions for cultivating interdisciplinary talents with "foreign language plus" competencies. He emphasized that future foreign language education should focus on developing interdisciplinary knowledge systems to meet society’s demand for versatile professionals.
Professor Li Defeng from the University of Macau provided an in-depth analysis of new models of human-computer collaborative translation. While recognizing AI’s capacity to offer efficient assistance, he stressed that a profound understanding of language and culture remains the core advantage of human translators. He particularly highlighted the necessity for foreign language education to strengthen the cultivation of students’ critical thinking and cross-cultural communication skills.
Professor Wu Yan from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies shared practical insights from the university’s teaching reform initiatives. He proposed that foreign language education should proactively align with national strategies and enhance students’ practical abilities and professional competence through deepened university-industry collaboration.
Assistant Professor Qiu Xuyan from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University emphasized that, in the era of AI, educational innovation requires a multi-stakeholder collaborative mechanism. She advocated not only leveraging technological advantages to improve teaching effectiveness but also placing emphasis on fostering students’ innovative thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
Parallel Forum II: The Strategic Pivot of Area Studies
Professor Feng Shounong from Renmin University of China pointed out that the era of AI presents challenges to foreign language disciplines, but also brings opportunities for deep integration with area studies and transformation into interdisciplinary fields. This requires promoting change across research platforms, faculty development, research paradigms, and talent cultivation. Professor Feng emphasized that foreign language studies must move beyond the “instrumentalist view” of language, using it instead as a cognitive vehicle to deeply embed itself in regional and national studies. He advocated cultivating interdisciplinary talents who are both “language experts” and “area experts,” enabling them to play an irreplaceable role in the Belt and Road Initiative.
Professor Wang Ena from East China Normal University highlighted the importance of cross-cultural and area studies knowledge in developing China-Europe relations, particularly stressing the need for enhanced mutual understanding between the two sides. She shared insights on the significant role of European area studies in Sino-European economic, trade, and cultural exchanges. Finally, she called for strengthening the development of foreign language disciplines by adhering to the concept of “viewing the study of a country or region as a cultural whole.”
Associate Research Fellow Wang Fei from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences analyzed the complexity of the current global situation from an international relations perspective. He proposed enhancing international cooperation through think tank development and scientific policy research, while emphasizing that area studies must be closely integrated with practice to improve the discipline’s social applicability.
Professor Zhu Xianghui from Shenzhen University focused on educational reform, offering recommendations for innovating educational models, optimizing curriculum design, and establishing a scientific evaluation system. He stressed that talent cultivation should align with societal needs and enhance its international influence through global cooperation.
Professor Weng Bingying from Shenzhen University noted that amid profound changes unseen in a century, area studies, as a first-level interdisciplinary category, serves both as a “great nation’s discipline” in serving national strategies and a key pillar in constructing China’s independent knowledge system. She emphasized that cultivating interdisciplinary talents should integrate language proficiency, interdisciplinary expertise, and a global strategic vision. Additionally, she proposed that continuous enhancement of the discipline’s strategic role can be achieved through interdisciplinary innovation, reform of talent development models, and deep integration of digital technologies, thereby providing solid academic support for enhancing the country’s effectiveness in global governance.
This parallel forum provided insights and recommendations for the development of area studies from multiple dimensions, including international relations, educational reform, and interdisciplinary practice.
Parallel Forum III: Paradigm Shifts in International Communication
Professor Chen Hongbo from Nanning Normal University proposed that international communication should emphasize “subtle yet profound” emotional resonance. He advocated for enhancing communication effectiveness through the integration of technological platforms, public interest initiatives, and regional storytelling to facilitate the implementation of the concept of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind.
Chief Journalist He Beibei from China Media Group, citing Shenzhen’s modern practices as an example, illustrated diverse pathways for disseminating China’s stories. She emphasized that international communication should involve multiple actors, including governments, enterprises, scholars, and the public, and noted that language learning serves as the foundation for cultural understanding.
Professor Zhong Xiaowen from Fuzhou University, adopting an audience-oriented approach, argued for leveraging emerging forms such as social media and live streaming to achieve cross-cultural communication. He also stressed that foreign language disciplines must pivot towards a “Foreign Language +” model, using cultural symbols to interpret and facilitate the dissemination of China’s discourse.
Assistant Professor Pan Yating from Shenzhen University, addressing challenges in foreign language education, highlighted that targeted communication and customized thematic approaches are key to narrowing cultural differences.
This forum focused on technological applications, multi-stakeholder engagement, audience strategy, and cultural difference management, offering both theoretical and practical insights for innovating paradigms in international communication.
Parallel Forum IV: Frontiers of Interest in Corporate Global Expansion
Professor Chen Yiping from Jinan University analyzed the role of overseas Chinese entrepreneurs in driving entrepreneurship, innovation, and creation within the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting their significance as cultural bridges supporting Chinese enterprises going global. He also underscored the need to address risks stemming from policy and cultural differences.
Mr. Yang Deyi, General Manager of Dongguan New Kinetic Energy Technology Co., Ltd., examined the opportunities and challenges in the South Asian market, emphasizing the shortage of technical talent and calling for academic institutions to cultivate more professionals in area studies to support corporate global expansion.
Ms. He Jia, Marketing Director of Nstarts from Hong Kong, stated that interdisciplinary talent constitutes a core competitive advantage in global ventures, requiring proficiency in language, cultural insight, and communication skills. She also shared insights on the importance of respecting localized experience in cross-cultural team management.
Mr. Lai Rongfa, Director of Fujian Jiangxia University, used the African market as a case study to discuss how enterprises should establish risk mitigation systems and optimize human resource and compliance management to tackle overseas operational challenges.
This session offered practical recommendations for enterprises expanding their global presence from perspectives such as the overseas Chinese business network, talent strategy, and risk management.
This workshop, rooted in the Greater Bay Area yet oriented toward a global perspective, has generated fresh insights for area studies and international communication practices through in-depth dialogue between academia and industry. Participating experts unanimously agreed that, amid the evolving landscape of globalization, it is essential to uphold open cooperation and innovation-driven approaches, construct interdisciplinary and cross-sector research systems, and cultivate interdisciplinary talents with a global vision to contribute intellectual strength to China’s deepened participation in global governance. The outcomes of this workshop will provide important intellectual support for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and facilitate Chinese enterprises’ more effective engagement on the world stage.
First Reviewer: Li Danling, Long Rong, Wan Zhitong
Second Reviewer: Fu Le
Third Reviewer: Huang Leping
