The "New Vitality, Development, Opportunities" - Sharing Session of Exploring "Charming Beijing" took place on September 27 as part of the events associated with the "Charming Beijing" TV series. The sharing session was hosted by the Information Office of Beijing Municipality and China Media Group Beijing Bureau, and organized by CRI Online.

A group photo of the guests

The "Charming Beijing" TV series is an overseas communication project launched by the Information Office of Beijing Municipality in conjunction with CRI Online of China Media Group for the purpose of encouraging cultural exchanges between China and the greater global community. A total of five seasons have been launched since the project's inception in 2019. Filming crews from 14 countries - including Brazil, Cambodia, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates - have been invited to Beijing for interviewing, filming, co-production, and taking part in the broadcast of the episodes of the TV Series. The crews from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are currently filming in Beijing. To date, the first four seasons of the TV Series have been broadcast on the mainstream TV stations in over 10 countries and reached an audience of more than 300 million; in addition, the themed short films and graphic content distributed across websites (including the video-sharing ones) and international social media platforms have garnered an additional 200 million views. The TV series has won recognition and accolades from the non-Chinese audience.

The year 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United Arab Emirates and the 34th anniversary of that between China and Saudi Arabia. This year's "Charming Beijing" extended special invitations to the filming crews from Abu Dhabi TV from the United Arab Emirates and Al Arabiya from Saudi Arabia. Focusing on the city's development and opportunities, the crews visited Beijing Municipal Administrative Center, E-Town International Robot Industrial Park, the Temple of Heaven, and the Palace Museum, among other notable locations. The trip allowed them to feel the tremendous momentum in Beijing's innovative growth from multiple perspectives, discover the beauty of this centuries-old city up close, and appreciate the charm of diversity of this metropolis.

Mohammed Abdulkareem Kamal Badawi, a presenter from Abu Dhabi TV, sharing his thoughts on the trip

During his turn to share thoughts on the five-day trip in Beijing, Mohammed Abdulkareem Kamal Badawi, a presenter from Abu Dhabi TV, commented, "I have been amazed by Beijing's rich historical heritage and cultural connotations, as well as the governmental authorities' hard work to protect and preserve the city's cultural heritage. We were also deeply impressed by Beijing's high-tech industries, especially robotics and autonomous driving. Our documentary will seek to capture our thoughts on and observations in Beijing to present lively and meticulously the beauty of this city to the audience in the United Arab Emirates."

Dafalla Adam Hussein Eldoma, a cameraman from Al Arabiya, sharing his thoughts on the trip

Dafalla Adam Hussein Eldoma, a cameraman from Al Arabiya, shared his initial impression of Beijing. For the rest of the trip, his filming crew will, based on the content of particular interest to Saudi viewers, capture the charm of Beijing from the perspectives of science and technologies, culture, economy, etc., to ultimately build a bridge of friendship between the people of his home country and China.

(Source: CRI Online of China Media Group)