More than 150 international students are attending the recent PLACE (Playshop for Language and Cultural Exchange) Summer Camp at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) in Guangzhou's Nansha district to expand communication and enhance friendship.

The camp opened in the Guangdong provincial capital on Sunday and will last until Aug 23.

The international students come from 31 nations and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Brazil, and Switzerland. As part of the camp, they are participating in exchange activities with about 400 of the university's Chinese undergraduate freshmen from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

The university is organizing the camp for the second time. The international students were admitted by HKUST(GZ) after a rigorous registration and selection process earlier this year.

During the camp, participants primarily communicate in English during immersive learning and hands-on activities around topics such as science, culture, language, international exchange, and sports.

In addition, the summer camp leads the international students and local new undergraduates on a guided tour of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, so they can experience the technological charm of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, explore Lingnan (South China) history and culture, and visit Hong Kong for cultural immersion experiences.

Lionel M. Ni, president of HKUST(GZ), described the camp as an immersive cross-cultural platform for the university's new undergraduates and international youths.

Last year, students forged friendships spanning continents and oceans and gained profound cross-cultural experiences. This year, with a more diverse cohort of international participants and more engaging activities, the two-week camp promises to become an unforgettable initiation into campus life for the new students, he said.

Frankie Watson-Brown, who comes from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, noted the importance of continuing cultural exchange on a global level, which, to him, sits at the very heart of the camp.

"It's difficult to stress the nature of physical interpersonal speaking with one another, and, while studying politics, it becomes clear to see the necessity of communication as a tool for avoiding conflict, both in the present and in the future," he said.

*The above article is from China Daily.