Diplomats in China and their family members visited Beijing Wtown (Gu Bei Shui Zhen) in Beijing's Miyun district on Sept 12 and 13, experiencing the historic charm of the Simatai Great Wall, traditional Chinese culture and the beauty of the northern water town.

The event offered diplomats and their families a series of cultural experiences — traditional performances, a boat ride on the Tang River and hands-on intangible cultural heritage activities. Experiencing Chinese culture up close helped deepened their understanding of local history and traditions while face-to-face interaction helped strengthen people-to-people ties.

At the foot of the Great Wall, the guests watched a lion dance and other traditional Chinese performances before exploring the town's streets. After the boat ride, they checked out traditional handicrafts guided by local artisans. These activities allowed the expat guests to interact with performers, boatmen and craftspeople in a relaxed setting.

The group climbed a newly opened section of the Simatai Great Wall. Built along a steep mountain ridge, the wall has a cliff on one side as a natural defensive barrier. Its design reflects the ingenuity of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) fortifications and offers visitors a vivid way to understand how the Great Wall was built and used.

The Great Wall was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. The Simatai section retains a number of Ming Dynasty architectural features, allowing visitors to encounter the history of the Great Wall in its original setting. The recent opening follows the principle of minimal intervention and focuses on protecting the existing remains while improving public access and interpretation.

As diplomats serve as an important link between China and the rest of the world, their firsthand experiences during the trip took cultural exchange beyond abstract introductions, turning it into shared activities and face-to-face interaction.

Wang Ziyue and Xu Ke contributed to this story.