The Beijing Foreign Affairs Office (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”) held the launch ceremony of International Friendship Ambassadors Experiencing Beijing Services on November 8. Forty foreign friends, including employees of foreign-invested companies in Beijing, experts, international students and foreign media reporters, were designated as the first batch of international friendship ambassadors.

Foreign friends designated as the first batch of

“Beijing International Friendship Ambassadors”

The event, a new initiative to enhance Beijing’s international services, aims to establish regular communication channels with foreign friends in Beijing. The friendship ambassadors can experience Beijing services through activities hosted by the Office and put forward suggestions. They can also provide feedback to the Office at any time based on their own experiences and the problems they encounter in their study, life and work in Beijing.

The launch ceremony

At the beginning of the exchange session, an official from the Office clearly stated, “Whether the services have addressed foreign friends’ concerns or not is not for us to decide. The answer lies in their own experiences.” The official then encouraged foreign friends in Beijing to “discover the weak links in Beijing’s international services through their unique perspective and keen observation, and send first-hand feedback directly to the Office for constant improvement.”

Exchanges with foreign friends

A series of new measures have been implemented since the start of the year, including the establishment of demonstration zones of payment service and payment service centers at the airports for overseas visitors, and the launch of “Tap & Go” payment services for overseas-issued cards at urban rail transit stations, which were introduced in China for the first time. Beijing has also added more POS machines and ATMs that accept overseas bank cards in star-rated hotels and at key tourism sites, and launched the new version of International Web Portal of Beijing. “I have lived and worked in Beijing for so many years that I already see Beijing as my home,” said Mr. Douglas K. Prescott, Head of the Canadian International School of Beijing, who has been deeply impressed by these new measures. “In recent years, there have been more international facilities and more convenient services in Beijing, making the city more livable for foreigners,” he added.

Out of deep affection for Beijing, the friendship ambassadors were outspoken about the problems they and their families and friends have encountered. Yeganeh Tavakoli, an Iranian student at Renmin University of China, believed that many of Beijing’s convenient services require more extensive dissemination. She suggested increasing promotion of international services and related work through foreign media to help more foreigners get to know them.

Hiroshi Fujimoto, who completed high school and college studies in China, noted that some foreign nationals still have concerns about traveling in China. “They don’t know how to seek consultations when running into problems. Therefore, the 12345 hotline, which offers foreign language services, should be more widely promoted.” He also advised further improving Beijing’s international language environment and considering the scenarios for foreign nationals in the development and operation of relevant websites and APPs.

Kelsey Charles, a foreign teacher from the US, echoed Fujimoto in building a more international language environment in Beijing. He highlighted the importance of language services in public places like banks and hospitals, where many terms on the signs are difficult to translate, often leading to misunderstandings. As a result, he hoped to see more multilingual services and signs. Specifically, he brought up a problem that is often ignored. “Foreign names are long and include capital letters and spaces. This increases the likelihood of staff making formatting mistakes, leading to difficulties in handling businesses,” he said.

Putting forward suggestions

The praises, suggestions, or appeals — all voices were heeded and recorded. According an official from the Office, the friendship ambassadors are not just witnesses and experiencers of Beijing’s efforts to go global, but also active participants and contributors. Each of their suggestions provides valuable guidance for improving our work. The active participation and selfless dedication of all friendship ambassadors will surely contribute to the development of a more open, inclusive and international Beijing.

After the ceremony, the friendship ambassadors embarked on their first offline experience trip, visiting SOLANA, China’s first “Inbound Consumer-Friendly Business District”, to explore its convenient services. Later, they watched a performance titled “Auspicious Phoenix Facing Chaoyang” at the 2024 Beijing Chaoyang International Light Festival by the Liangma River.