On the afternoon of April 29, the International observers activities for experiencing tax service and management under Belt and Road Initiatives was successfully held. The event was jointly hosted by Zhuhai Municipal Tax Service of the State Taxation Administration, Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Zhuhai Municipal Foreign Affairs Bureau, and State Administration of Foreign Exchange Zhuhai Branch. As one of the co-organizers, the Belt and Road School of Beijing Normal University organized 36 international students from more than 20 countries to participate in the Silk Road Tax Governance International Observer Experience Day. Relevant leading officials and professional backbones from all organizing units, representatives of enterprise associations, and over 50 representatives of enterprises engaged in going global and bringing in foreign investment attended the whole event. Wu Menglin, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director-General of Zhuhai Municipal Taxation Service, and Zhang Kunling, Party Branch Secretary of the Belt and Road School of Beijing Normal University, delivered remarks at the event.

During the event, international students visited Zhuhai Municipal Government Service Center and the municipal taxation authority, where they engaged in an immersive experience of China’s smart tax services and took part in a simulated mediation of cross-border tax disputes. Through these activities, they gained firsthand insight into China’s innovative practices in tax governance and accumulated valuable experience for promoting tax rule-of-law cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Wu Menglin presented the Silk Road Tax Governance International Observer certificates to student representatives of the School. She invited them to witness the achievements of China’s tax rule-of-law development from the perspective of international youth, and expressed her hope that in their future studies and exchanges, they would draw on their own experiences to share China’s concrete practices in tax governance and public services, thereby promoting exchange and mutual understanding among different countries..

In his remarks, Zhang Kunling stated that organizing international students to engage directly with Zhuhai’s frontline public service institutions allowed them to experience firsthand the efficiency and openness of local government in China. Through on-site observation and participation, the students were able to understand, from the practical functioning of institutions, the policy logic behind local government efforts in cross-border services and the optimization of the business environment, and to develop a more systematic understanding from a comparative perspective.

Under the guidance of bilingual commentators, international students later visited the Tax Service Hall of Xiangzhou District Taxation Bureau, touring featured service areas including the Greater Bay Area Tax & Fee Service E-Station, Cross-border Service Special Window, and Tax & Fee Dispute Mediation Room.

During the visit, students observed the operation procedures of the electronic taxation bureau, self-service tax handling equipment and the individual income tax APP, and directly experienced the innovative digital and intelligent service measures adopted by China’s taxation authorities.

Christoven Nagara, an international student from Indonesia, commented: “I have seen numerous intelligent and digital tax service initiatives, which have elevated the convenience of tax handling to an entirely new level. I will cherish my identity as an International Observer and share what I have witnessed and learned today with people back home.”

Ekaterina Glushakova from Russia was deeply impressed by the cross-border service system: “Zhuhai’s tax service environment is impressive. In particular, the multilingual services provided by the Greater Bay Area Tax & Fee Service E-Station make me feel the openness and inclusiveness of this city.”

As an important practical teaching session of the School’s course Practicum Management, this event highlights the organic integration of theory, practice and case study. By arranging students to conduct field research in government departments, enterprises and public service institutions, the School helps students gain an in-depth understanding of China’s governance system and development experience in a real institutional operation context.

This also represents a key initiative of the Belt and Road School in advancing the cultivation of international talent. By closely integrating classroom teaching with the concrete practices of Chinese modernization, the School continues to explore a training model that combines knowledge and action, with the aim of nurturing high-level international talent who not only understand China’s development experience, but also possess a global outlook.

Looking ahead, the School will further integrate itself into the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, give full play to its strengths in talent cultivation and think tank services, respond more precisely to the needs of multinational enterprises, and foster interdisciplinary talent, thereby contributing wisdom and strength to the Greater Bay Area’s efforts to build a new high ground for reform and opening up.