From August 16 to 21, teacher and students from USTC International College were invited to participate in the 2024 "ZHI-XING Guizhou Silk Road Youth Exchange Program • Cool City Tour." As a key component of the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, this event was organized and hosted by Liupanshui Normal University. Guided by the core philosophy of "Unity of Knowledge and Action, Steadfastness Leads to Far-reaching Goals," the five-day study tour aimed to lead young students from around the world to deeply explore Guizhou's natural beauty, cultural heritage, economic development, and social changes. The goal was to promote international educational cooperation, showcase Guizhou's unique charm, and vividly narrate China's story.

The journey to Liupanshui revealed breathtaking landscapes, with mountains stretching endlessly and scenic views unfolding along the way. The high-speed train smoothly traversed mountains, bridges, and tunnels, presenting the international students with a series of magnificent geographical scenes. These first impressions immediately immersed them in the unique charm of Guizhou and filled them with admiration for China’s remarkable achievements in infrastructure development. In a letter to international students in 2021, President Xi Jinping encouraged them to travel around China and gain a deeper understanding of the country’s true, multi-dimensional, and beautiful essence. This "ZHI-XING Guizhou" trip perfectly exemplified the saying "Seeing is believing," leaving lasting memories of Guizhou's stunning landscapes, convenient transportation network, and the pleasant climate of Liupanshui.

On the morning of August 17, the opening ceremony of the 2024 "ZHI-XING Guizhou Silk Road Youth Exchange Program • Cool City Tour" was held at the Academic Exchange Center of Liupanshui Normal University. Vice President Zhang Long of Liupanshui Normal University attended the ceremony, warmly welcoming the participating teachers and students. He introduced the province of Guizhou, the city of Liupanshui, and the university, quoting the ancient saying "Knowledge is the beginning of action; action is the fulfillment of knowledge" to encourage the international students to listen attentively, observe carefully, study deeply, and practice boldly, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical action. Over the following days, the students immersed themselves in a variety of cultural lectures, field studies, and hands-on activities, deepening their understanding of Guizhou and China while gaining valuable knowledge and experience through the unity of knowledge and action.

The cultural lectures introduced the students to the wisdom and mysteries of the 24 solar terms in a lively and accessible manner. The lecture on Guizhou's unique tourism resources, accompanied by vivid images and text, led them to appreciate the natural beauty, rich history, and diverse ethnic cultures of Liupanshui, including the distinct flavors of Guizhou’s chili peppers and Rosa roxburghii fruit.

Additionally, the students participated in tea-related activities, such as picking, processing, and tasting tea, experiencing the beauty of nature amidst the misty clouds of the Wumeng Mountains. They learned traditional Chinese martial arts, such as long fist, at the covered playground, gaining insight into the profound depth of Chinese culture. In the dance studio, dressed in Miao ethnic costumes and holding Lusheng pipes, they danced gracefully to the rhythm of drums and melodious music. In the biology specimen lab, they explored the mysteries of ancient life, colored fossil specimens by hand, and captured the natural beauty of leaf veins on canvas bags. In the practical workshop, they gained an in-depth understanding of Guizhou’s ethnic batik techniques and created scarves and T-shirts, taking home a unique cultural experience.

On the morning of August 20, the closing ceremony of the 2024 "ZHI-XING Guizhou Silk Road Youth Exchange Program • Cool City Tour" was successfully held. Zhang Wu, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange at Liupanshui Normal University, awarded the students with completion certificates, encouraging them to become bridges of communication between China and the world, sharing Guizhou’s stories and beauty with more people and participating in the grand blueprint of the Belt and Road Initiative. After the ceremony, the students traveled to Guiyang to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, witnessing the fruitful cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in various fields.

This youth exchange program deeply impressed the students with the cultural charm, ethnic customs, and social development of Liupanshui. It also sparked their strong interest in and love for Chinese culture. They expressed their intentions to share the sights, experiences, and insights from this journey with their friends and family, promoting the colorful, vibrant, and ecological Guizhou to the world, and telling a beautiful and vivid Chinese story.