Participants pose for a photo at the Pingshan Exhibition Gallery on Aug. 11. Photos by Chen Siqi

The eighth offline challenge of the 2026 Shenzhen Public Foreign-Language Signage Improvement Campaign rolled into Pingshan District on Aug. 11, sending local language reviewers to scrutinize public signs at the district’s cultural landmarks.

Armed with keen eyes and language skills, participants fanned out across the Shenzhen Natural History Museum, known as South China’s largest comprehensive natural history museum, and the Pingshan Culture Center, a cultural hub bringing together the Pingshan Art Museum, Pingshan Exhibition Gallery and other venues, to identify missing or inaccurate English translations on public signs.

For Pingshan resident Ms. Qiu, the changes unfolding around her have been hard to miss. She noted that this year — which marks the APEC “China Year” — the district has stepped up its efforts on English-language signage. Places that once had no English signs now feature bilingual directions, particularly in parks, shopping districts and cultural venues, with signage becoming increasingly standardized. 

Participants check public signs at the Pingshan Exhibition Gallery on Aug. 11.

‌Ms. Ke, a local Shenzhen resident, said she was both delighted and honored to learn that this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting would take place in Shenzhen, where she has lived for more than a decade. Eager to contribute to her adopted city, she signed up for the error-correction campaign without hesitation after seeing the recruitment call.

“Such campaigns help Shenzhen truly align with international standards and showcase the city’s global identity,” Ke said. “If our English signage is authentic and well done, foreign friends will feel at ease in Shenzhen, as if they were at home, and they’ll be more willing to explore the city and the country,” she added. “Warm, authentic signage conveys not just convenience, but a sincere welcome. When visitors from around the world feel that sense of belonging, they are naturally more inclined to come here for cooperation and to build their lives here.”

The signage improvement campaign is organized by Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, Shenzhen Daily, and Shenzhen Media Group’s “1st to the Scene.” Beyond serving as silent guides, public signs in foreign languages are a calling card for the city’s international image.

With the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting approaching in November, Shenzhen is opening its doors with greater confidence, ready to welcome the world’s gaze.