As part of the Chinese tech giant Huawei’s Seeds for the Future program, Digital Seeds 2023 was held at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) on Sept 21.

Sun Youzhong, a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, speaks at the opening ceremony of the event. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sun Youzhong, a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, highlighted BFSU's commitment to international education. He emphasized the importance of building an international faculty, improving curriculum offerings and fostering models for global talent development. 

Sun noted that BFSU has actively contributed to cultural exchanges among nations, and enhanced mutual understanding and cultural development. 

He also expressed his admiration for Huawei's role as a global technology leader and suggested that Chinese and German students should collaborate on joint research and innovation projects to further economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Carsten Senz, vice-president of corporate communications at Huawei Deutschland, speaks at the opening ceremony of the event. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Carsten Senz, vice-president of corporate communications at Huawei Deutschland, shared that the Huawei Seeds program has a decade-long history, and this year marks its first return to China after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senz said he hopes that Chinese and German students will enhance dialogues across various fields, such as trade, sustainability, culture and personal development. 

The event included insightful comparisons between Beijing and Berlin's central axes, presentations on Chinese diabolos, ancient Chinese coins and Weifang kites, as well as group discussions on such topics as artificial intelligence, corporate development and social media. 

Participants of the program pose for a commemorative photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

The Digital Seeds program, initiated by Huawei Deutschland, seeks to strengthen communication between Chinese and German youths in the fields of digital economy, innovation and culture. This year, Huawei Deutschland selected 50 German students to attend the program, who arrived in China in September to undertake field studies and engage in exchanges with various institutions, including businesses and universities in Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu and other cities.