As part of China's tech giant Huawei’s Seeds for the Future initiative, Digital Seeds 2024 was held at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) on April 2.                                             

Jia Wenjian (3rd, L), deputy secretary of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, and Carsten Senz (3rd, R), vice-president of corporate communications at Huawei Deutschland, participate in the Digital Seeds 2024 at BFSU on April 2. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

Speaking at the event, Jia Wenjian, deputy secretary of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, highlighted BFSU’s commitment to building a dynamic, inclusive, diverse and international campus and providing a platform for global youth exchanges.

The university is willing to collaborate with Huawei Deutschland to cultivate the seeds of Sino-German friendship and nurture them to take root and grow in the hearts of young people from both countries, Jia said. 

Carsten Senz, vice-president of corporate communications at Huawei Deutschland, spoke highly of BFSU's achievements in talent development, noting that the Digital Seeds project has been held at the university for several years with significant success. 

China is an important partner for Germany, and both countries should strengthen cooperation to promote communication and understanding among youth, Senz added. 

The event featured exchange activities with the theme of Culture, Exchange and Sustainable Development, inviting students at BFSU’s School of German Studies to deliver presentations on such topics as "Cultural Identity of the New Generation of Overseas Chinese in Germany from the Perspective of the Internet", "Traditional Chinese Dwellings and Family Culture" and "John Rabe and China".

Chinese and German students participate in an interactive experience session to learn about traditional Chinese culture. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

It also included an interactive experience session, offering an opportunity for attending students to learn about the traditional Chinese culture of coin rubbing, diabolo skills, shadow puppet making, kung fu tea making and paper cutting.

Chinese and German students engage in discussions. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

They also held discussions on the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, sustainable development and environmental protection.

The Digital Seeds program, initiated by Huawei Deutschland, involved project members visiting BFSU in 2019 and 2023 to engage in exchanges with students at the School of German Studies.

In the first half of this year, the company has selected more than 30 German students to conduct study tours and exchanges in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other cities with enterprises and universities.