By Li Zheng
Hangzhou is striving to establish a comprehensive international services platform to optimize its services for foreigners visiting and living in the city and to enhance its international appeal.
On the afternoon of Apr 7, a seminar was held at the Immigration Service Center of Hangzhou Chengxi Sci-Tech Innovation Corridor. Over 30 experts and scholars from various fields related to international services as well as expats in Hangzhou gathered to share insights into the city's efforts to enhance its international services and to discuss the demands, challenges, and pathways for improvement.
The comprehensive international services platform, a mini-app in the Alipay App, caters to the indispensable governmental and public service needs of the foreigners in Hangzhou for tourism, business, study, or work purposes, such as payment, transportation, medical services, visa appointments, museum reservations and many others. Additionally, integrating with Hangzhou's International communication brand, Hangzhoufeel, the platform provides vibrant information and guidance on living in Hangzhou for international users upon their arrival. You may just search "city services" in the Alipay App for exploration!
The attendees also proposed many innovative ideas, including online financial services for overseas talents, global mobile data packages, themed tourism packages, traditional Chinese medicine treatment and knowledge, online medicine purchase with medical insurance payment, and port visa, among others.
Looking ahead, it is believed that more sectors will drive the development of Hangzhou's international services, making international visitors and residents feel at home, and effectively elevating Hangzhou's urban "soft power" to new heights.