Nanshan District of Shenzhen and the city of Cuzco, Peru, opened a new chapter in their friendly relations on June 1, signing a memorandum of understanding for cooperation and exchange. The momentous ceremony took place at Cuzco's City Hall, marking a significant step forward for the two places.

Currently, Nanshan has already established friendly ties with five cities worldwide, including Nantes in France, Tampere in Finland, Cupertino in the United States, and Marbella in Spain. The addition of Cuzco further expands Nanshan’s international circle of friends.

The signing ceremony was not just a symbolic gesture but a commitment to tangible collaboration. Guided by the principles of mutual benefit, complementary advantages, long-term cooperation, and common development, both parties agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in fields such as the economy, tourism, culture, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

For Nanshan, this partnership will provide a new platform for local enterprises to go global. Meanwhile, Cuzco is eager to tap into Nanshan’s technological strength and innovative ideas to inject new momentum into the development of its tourism resources and the modernization of its agricultural sector.

As part of the event, the delegation from Nanshan was invited to participate in an important cultural event in Peru. This allowed them to gain a deeper understanding of the spiritual core of the Inca civilization, further deepening cultural exchanges between the two regions. 

This initiative echoed the exhibition “The Inca and Their Tawantinsuyu: The Land of Four Quarters,” which was jointly organized by the Nanshan Museum and the Peruvian Ministry of Culture in 2024.

Adding to the cultural vibrancy of the event, a Cuzco–Shenzhen Nanshan bi-city photo exhibition was also held. The exhibition attracted many visitors who stopped to appreciate the vivid portrayal of both places.

Pictures showcasing Nanshan’s modern urban landscape, technological innovation achievements, and cultural and artistic charm were placed alongside images of Cuzco’s ancient relics, unique folk customs, and magnificent natural scenery, allowing people to have a more intuitive understanding of each other’s culture and characteristics.

The success of this cooperation is not without precedent —Nanshan has a profound accumulationof international cooperation. As of February 2025, there are 14,500 foreign residents from 156 countries and regions living in Nanshan, accounting for about 40% of the city’s international population.

In 2023, Nanshan completed the first batch of evaluation and acceptance work for the creation of four international blocks. Shekou, Zhaoshang, Yuehai, and Taoyuan were successfully awarded the title of Shenzhen International Block.

Moreover, Nanshan continues to improve the service level of international service platforms such as the Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats, the Nanshan International Cultural Exchange & Service Center, the Yuehai Enterprise Service Center, and the International Youth Exchange & Service Station. 

By holding a variety of exchange activities like foreign-related legal consultation, policy interpretation, enterprise internationalization support, talent introduction, and traditional cultural experiences, these platforms effectively promote international exchanges and cooperation in Nanshan.