On November 14, a lecture titled ‌"Cultural Integration and Bay Area Development: My 30 Years of Overseas Experience and Insights"‌ was held at Baiyun Campus of Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University (GPNU). The event, part of the ‌"Guangzhou Social Science Popularization Series"‌ organized by the Guangzhou Federation of Social Sciences, was hosted by GPNU’s School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, with support from the GPNU Social Science Federation and the School of International Education (Multimodal International Communication Base for Lingnan Culture Social Science Promotion).

The keynote speaker, ‌Mr. Huang Weixiong‌, Founder and CEO of New Zealand-based Xiezhou Technology and Dean of the New Zealand Business School, shared his three-decade journey in overseas politics, business, education, and culture. He emphasized the unique role of sports events and cultural activities—such as the Guangdong University Alliance Badminton Tournament—in fostering international exchanges. Mr. Huang revealed that Xiezhou Technology is collaborating with Jiangmen Municipal Government to integrate New Zealand’s coastal industry expertise with the Greater Bay Area (GBA), driving synergies in economic and cultural development while strengthening China-New Zealand trade and cultural ties.

Throughout his career abroad, Mr. Huang has been dedicated to cultural exchange between China and New Zealand. For instance, in 2007, he organized the ‌"Kaiping Diaolou and Villages" Photo Exhibition‌ in New Zealand, showcasing the unique charm of Lingnan culture to global audiences and enhancing the international influence of Chinese heritage. During the lecture, he analyzed the pivotal role of cultural strength in advancing political and economic development, offering insights on unifying the GBA’s cultural resources, creating high-quality cultural tourism brands, and shaping a cohesive "Cultural Bay Area." He stressed that amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, strengthening international cultural exchanges is key to innovation and transformation. He proposed leveraging modern technologies like AI, digital humans, AR, and VR to expand cultural dissemination channels, inspire industrial innovation, and inject new momentum into the GBA’s sustainable development, enabling Lingnan culture to reach the world more effectively.

In closing, Mr. Huang advocated for harnessing the unique role of overseas Chinese resources and intellect in spreading Chinese culture, urging collaboration to promote the GBA’s high-quality development. He pledged to continue his mission of sharing Chinese and Lingnan culture globally, contributing to the GBA’s growth and the creative evolution of China’s cultural heritage.

The lecture enriched attendees with profound cultural knowledge and inspiration, deepening their understanding of Lingnan culture’s global reach and the GBA’s development. It also ignited a sense of responsibility among faculty and students to actively engage in the region’s high-quality development. We are confident that, through the efforts of overseas Chinese like Mr. Huang Weixiong, Lingnan culture will shine even brighter in the GBA’s future.

(Author: Li Ran | Editor: Zhang Yan | Reviewer: Yu Zhong’en)