XI'AN, China, Nov. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On November 10, the Belt and Road Forum for International Think Tank Cooperation 2026 & the 4th Silk Road (Xi'an) International Communication Forum were held in Xi'an, west China.
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As one of its supporting events, a city study tour by international think tank and media experts was held. Foreign journalists, foreign diplomats based in China and international think-tank experts travelled to this eastern starting-point city of the ancient Silk Road to experience the openness and inclusiveness of the "city of Tang-Dynasty poetry".
From November 8 to 9, media journalists from Algeria, Egypt, Palestine, Oman and other countries launched their field investigations first.
Their tour began at the Our United Xi'an science and innovation center. Models of intelligent radiotherapy equipment and walls lined with patent certificates caught many journalists' attention, who were impressed by Xi'an's rapid advances in medical-technology innovation.
At the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, digital conservation displays and interactive installations for coloring Terracotta Warriors showed foreign journalists how technology breathes new life into cultural heritage.
At Wangfujing Outlet Lintong Town, reporters experienced the instant tax-refund for purchases and got a taste of the convenience and cost-effectiveness of cross-border tourism in Xi'an.
Abdulrahman Tafur, Director of the Management Committee of Syria's Digital Journalists Network, was amazed by the thousands of medical patents obtained by Our United, adding that he hoped the company will make even greater contributions to humanity in the future.
Ibrahim Abdallah Yahya Zahra, Host of Yemen Satellite TV, marveled at the size and wide variety of goods at the Lintong Town. After trying the instant tax-refund service, he found the service extremely convenient for overseas shoppers, saying that it shows how advanced the city's governance is in many respects.
The group then visited the Xi'an assembly base for China-Europe Railway Express and Xi'an Aiju Grain and Oil Industrial Group. Deep-rooted cooperation between Xi'an and Central Asia came vividly to life in a bowl of steaming oil-spiced noodles. Journalists tried their hands at making biangbiang noodles: kneading, stretching, boiling the dough, sprinkling chili powder and pouring scalding hot oil over it to release an inviting sizzling aroma.
At the intelligent warehouse and the Eurasian import-goods supermarket, they saw Central-Asian flour and honey displayed side-by-side with local Shaanxi specialties. Behind a simple bowl of noodles lie the dense international rail routes of China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an), bringing tangible benefits to ordinary people through cross-border industrial chains.
Salem Al-Zubaydi, Host of Saudi Arabia's Al-Arabiya Radio, said he was glad to witness the deep-going cooperation between China and Kazakhstan, which not only delivers sustained growth for both sides, but also offers valuable ideas for future international collaboration in agriculture and employment.
At Xiying Boundless XR Cinema, visitors embarked on a cross-era virtual journey along the Silk Road. Lubna Younes Ibrahim Zavek, Founder and Director-General of Libya's Sama News Agency, called the experience unique and the footage dynamic, saying that she was particularly awestruck when they stepped into the virtual Qiuci palace.
The delegation later toured the Grand Tang Mall commercial block and Xi'an SKP mall, gaining deep insight into how millennia-old cultural heritage integrates with modern urban life in Xi'an.
From November 10 to 11, delegations of foreign diplomats in China and international think-tank experts continued their site visits.
On the evening of November 10, they attended the cultural exchange event "Chang'an Night." Tang-style music-and-dance performances and intangible-cultural-heritage showcases let them soak in the ancient capital's profound cultural legacy.
They also learned about the city's growth drivers through medical-tech innovation and China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) cooperation, and experienced the city's charm via immersive cultural-tourism activities.
Themed "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation Empowering Modernization and Mutual Learning among Civilizations," the forums aim to fully implement outcomes from the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, pool global wisdom, and advance higher-quality, higher-level development for the Belt and Road Initiative.
Contact person: Mr. Wang, Tel: 86-10-63074558.