On the afternoon of August 18, Guangzhou Mayor Sun Zhiyang met with student representatives of the Playshop for Language and Culture Exchange (PLACE) Summer Camp 2025 hosted by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) and posed for a group photo with them at the municipal government building.

Mayor Sun extended a warm welcome to the young participants from around the world. He remarked that Guangzhou is a city to be explored—a place that carries the weight of history while embracing the spirit of innovation. As a national historical and cultural city, Guangzhou boasts a history of 2,239 years. It is the cradle of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, an important starting point of China's modern history, and a frontier of the nation's reform and opening-up. 

Meanwhile, Guangzhou is also a national central city of China, where production, lifestyle, and ecology are deeply integrated. The city's population exceeds 24 million, with nearly 1.7 million university students. It is known for its inclusiveness, vibrancy, and youthful energy.

He emphasized that this summer camp offers a valuable opportunity for participants to experience and understand Guangzhou firsthand. It also serves as a platform for young people from around the world to enhance exchanges, mutual understanding, and trust. He expressed his hope that students would get closer to Guangzhou, feel the pulse of the city, truly understand it, and enjoy an unforgettable experience while building lasting cross-cultural friendships.

The summer camp held by HKUST (GZ) brings together about 600 students, including more than 400 incoming undergraduates of the Class of 2025 and over 140 international participants from 31 countries, about one-third of whom come from Guangzhou's sister cities. During their stay, the group will visit landmarks such as the Canton Tower and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Guangzhou, as well as tour several enterprises at the forefront of fostering new quality productive forces.