Expat volunteers facilitate border crossings in Luohu

Anna Machneva (R) from Russia serves a visitor at Luohu Checkpoint. Photos courtesy of Luohu Checkpoint

Working as international volunteers, a number of Luohu District's expat residents have recently joined local foreign affairs staff and immigration officers at Luohu Checkpoint to provide multilingual assistance.They guided both domestic and international travelers through customs clearance, explained the latest immigration policies to international travelers, and promoted Shenzhen's and Luohu's culinary delights and cultural tourism offerings. Their multilingual services helped build cross-cultural bridges for all visitors.Anna Machneva, a Russian international volunteer, told newly arrived foreign tourists, said, "Shenzhen has many delicious dishes like dim sum. You should definitely try some! There are also beautiful parks here, and since the weather is nice today, it's perfect for exploring. Wishing you a wonderful trip in Shenzhen."Machneva added, "I have lived in Shenzhen for 10 years and moved to Luohu six months ago. The city has changed dramatically, offering diverse lifestyles to explore. Now, with the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, it's even more convenient for foreigners to visit China."A U.K. tourist who had just arrived appreciated the support offered by the volunteers. Ergashev Sardor Akmal Ugli said, "It's my great honor to work as a volunteer at the checkpoint, helping foreigners traveling to Shenzhen from Hong Kong."Bylinina Alina, a volunteer from Kazakhstan, distributed a bilingual handbook for foreign residents in Luohu District and provided transportation guidance in Luohu District.

Anna Machneva (C) from Russia serves a visitor at Luohu Checkpoint. 

As of March 23, Luohu Checkpoint had recorded 15 million border crossings this year, up 12% year on year. This includes over 230,000 foreign travelers from more than 140 countries, marking a 50% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the checkpoint.In recent years, Luohu District has introduced a series of measures to help foreign nationals, modernizing urban infrastructure, optimizing cross-border financial and payment services, launching online bilingual service platforms, and hosting multicultural exchange events.These initiatives aim to better support high-level opening up and high-quality development, further elevating the district's global competitiveness while creating more opportunities for international friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.