On May 10, the “2026 (2nd) Shanghai High-Quality International Talent Exchange Conference & HSK Study in China and Career Expo”, co-hosted by Fudan University and Chinese Testing International (CTI), opened at Fudan University’s Zhengda Gymnasium. Distinguished guests attending the opening ceremony included Yang Zhou, Deputy Director of Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) of the Ministry of Education; Ye Linlin, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission; Fang Ming, Vice Chair of Fudan University; Hu Ying, Deputy Director of Exit-Entry Administration Corps of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau ; and Liu Xinyang, Executive Vice President of lazada, Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group. Over 50 renowned enterprises, including JD.com, Alibaba, Xiaomi, and Tencent, as well as representatives from nearly 40 prestigious universities nationwide such as Fudan University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, East China Normal University, gathered with more than 3,000 international students studying in China, returned Chinese language teachers, and volunteers from around the world. Together, they envisioned a new landscape for international talent development.

The opening ceremony commenced with performances rich in Chinese cultural charm. The Fudan University International Student Choir and the Fudan International School Choir jointly performed Little Children, conveying youthful vitality and China-foreign friendship through their pure voices. Fudan international students presented Wuxia Shadows, a martial arts performance combining strength and grace with a vivid artistic message, that is, every move embodies the spirit of China.

In his address at the opening ceremony, Yang Zhou stated that China’s modernization, exemplified by Shanghai, continues to unleash vitality, attracting an increasing number of international youth to develop their careers in China. Currently, CLEC has established Chinese language education partnerships with over 190 countries, supporting the establishment of 83 Chinese language learning and testing centers and 1,477 HSK test centers. The annual number of test-takers exceeds 810,000 and the number of global Chinese language learners has reached 210 million. As a flagship program developed by CTI under the guidance of CLEC, the “HSK Study in China and Career Expo” has been held over 200 sessions in 51 countries, serving more than 900,000 participants and helping over 200,000 learners pursue studies or employment in China. He noted that CLEC will work with partners to actively build a new model of “standard setting—course training—examination certification—internship and employment”, promoting the integrated development of “Chinese+” education and talent cultivation. Efforts will be made to continuously enhance HSK 3.0 service levels, explore pathways for the development of Chinese language education training and service trade, further elevate the practical value of Chinese, serve international talent cultivation and industrial demands, and make new contributions to building a world-class talent hub and innovation highland.

Deputy Director of CLEC of the Ministry of Education Yang Zhou

Ye Linlin pointed out in his remarks that Shanghai is accelerating the construction of a socialist modern international metropolis with global influence and striving to build a high-level talent hub. Shanghai's demographic structure, concentration of international enterprises, and degree of urban internationalization serve as crucial pillars for enhancing the city's attractiveness, and deepening international development is of great significance for strengthening Shanghai's appeal as a global city. He emphasized that “Study in China” is becoming an increasingly popular choice among international youth, which means not only completing academic studies in China, but also resonating with China's development and deeply connecting with China's opportunities. With a global perspective and in service of national strategy, Shanghai will provide comprehensive services for international talent from around the world with a focus on continuously optimizing the foreign talent service system to truly achieve “warmth, speed, and depth”.

Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission Ye Linlin

Fang Ming emphasized in his address that against the backdrop of the integrated deployment of education, science and technology, and talent in the 15th Five-Year Plan, Shanghai's construction of an international talent hub is accelerating, and the trend of international students “staying in China for development” is becoming increasingly evident. This exchange conference aims to implement talent strategies and promote the transformation of international students from “learning” to “development”. He proposed three key words: “being rooted, synergy, and co-creation”. International students should be rooted in China while connecting with the world, serving as bridges between China and other countries; universities need to break boundaries and empower through cooperation, facilitating the alignment of talent with market demands; enterprises should integrate international talent into innovation and globalization strategies, achieving co-creation between talent and the ecosystem. Through the combined efforts of all three parties, the conference will help international talent realize their career aspirations in Shanghai and inject momentum into Shanghai's efforts to gather global talent and build an international metropolis.

Vice Chair of Fudan University Fang Ming

Liu Xinyang mentioned in his remarks that globalization is in Alibaba’s DNA. International students possess both knowledge of China and a global vision, multilingual capabilities, and cross-cultural adaptability—precisely the core talent most needed for enterprise globalization. He extended a sincere invitation at the event: Alibaba International will provide international youth with a global practical stage, an AI-empowered growth system, and a diverse and inclusive development environment, and through special talent programs, design customized growth pathways from campus to workplace for international students.