Witnessed by experts and representatives of Chinese and foreign residents, Shenzhen officially launched its evaluation guideline for the development of international blocks at a conference in Qianhai Kerry Center yesterday.

A poster for the launching event.

According to the organizer, the city’s foreign affairs office, the guideline is expected to help build a multidimensional and multilevel evaluation system for construction of international blocks, promote sustainable development of the city’s international blocks, and provide references for other cities’ internationalization drive.

The guideline also aims to scientifically and systematically evaluate the experience and achievements of the city’s first batch of 20 international blocks it has accumulated over the last three years. Likewise, it aims to further improve international blocks’ development, management and service levels.

Shenzhen took the country’s lead to issue measures on promoting the construction of international blocks in a bid to improve the city’s internationalization level in June 2019.

In the same year, the list of the first batch of 20 international blocks in Shenzhen (2019-2022) was released, with the 20 blocks strewn across the city.

The evaluation guideline has adopted the method of “basic evaluation + feature evaluation” with indicators manifesting Shenzhen’s characteristics.

Basic evaluation covers six aspects including block governance, international exchanges, resident quality, livable environment, industrial services and communication capabilities, as well as the highlights created in the process of building an international block.

Feature evaluation, with a focus on the blocks’ characteristic advantages, emphasizes three aspects of planning, development and achievements.

“Shenzhen thrives because of reform and opening up. To build Shenzhen into a more internationalized city not only can increase foreigners’ interest in coming to China, but also improve Chinese people’s understanding of foreigners,” said Machneva Anna, a Russian graduate student at the South China University of Technology who has been living in China for nine years.

According to Anna, there is a popular saying “I’m a foreigner, but not an outsider” in the expat community, but she personally prefers the saying “You’re a Shenzhener once you come here.”

Duiu Onofrei, a martial arts coach from Romania, lives in the Zhaoshang international block in Nanshan District. He lauded the government’s efforts in advancing the development of international blocks, which are welcomed by the expat community.

“Shenzhen was the first Chinese city I visited, and I never left,” he said, adding that he instantly fell in love with the city for its infrastructure, development, friendly people and food.

The development of international blocks in Shenzhen is another important innovation the city has initiated after it proposed the construction of its eight international communities in 2014.

Shenzhen aims to form a citywide international block network by the end of 2025.