I am Fernando Lugris, Ambassador of Uruguay to China. I have been in this position since December 2015 and have lived in Chaoyang District for over seven years.

There are so many opportunities for a wonderful life in Chaoyang. I live near Liangmaqiao, a beautiful place with a thriving business environment and many nice restaurants and cafes. It is also very close to Chaoyang Park. I often go there on weekends to enjoy the lake view and nature.

I'm a big fan of coffee, and in this regard, Chaoyang has undergone immense changes.

Uruguay does not produce coffee but boasts a coffee culture. There are some cafes in Beijing that reflect Uruguay's culture and serve Mate, our national drink. Mate is a herbal tea but has particular making methods and tea set, and unique flavor. Since I arrived in Chaoyang District, the number of cafes with high-quality coffee has explosively grown.

I am interested in Beijing's culture and modernity, so I love to go to 798 Art District, to explore various art galleries and museums and communicate with local artists. This city has a vibrant art scene, especially in Chaoyang, which I believe is one of the benefits of living in Beijing. Here, we can see the younger generation of Chinese and Beijingers fashionably dressed exhibiting their artwork and attitude toward life, which impresses me a lot.

Chaoyang has carried out a lot of renovations and we have witnessed many changes today. We see more modernization and adoption of intelligent technologies, such as autonomous delivery vehicles in the 798 art zone, which did not exist when I arrived in China in 2015.

I think Chaoyang District is a clear expression of what's going on in Beijing and even in China. Here we can see the modernization of the whole district. All in all, this is a vibrant and uplifting city and district, and young people love to live here as they all feel that everything is getting better and thriving.