An officer from Wenzhou Immigration Inspection Station introduces the history of Shuomen ancient port to international students. [Photo/Wenzhou Immigration Inspection Station]

A group of international and Chinese students from eight countries explored the ancient Shuomen port ruins in Wenzhou, immersing themselves in the city's thousand-year-old maritime history.

"China embraced the world over 1,000 years ago," said Italian sinologist Bonino Gabriella, visiting the site for the seventh time. She eagerly shared photos of Song Dynasty (960-1279) anchor stones on social media, captivated by Wenzhou's deep-rooted maritime history.

Shuomen, which is the most well-preserved Song Dynasty port site, was once a bustling hub of global trade. At the event, immigration officers introduced the customs and taxation system recorded in the Wenzhou Port Chronicles. Nigerian student Mike expressed his amazement: "This port predates the founding of Venice's water city by nearly 300 years."

To bring history to life, officers reenacted the ancient Haibo Gongping trade permit process, simulating how merchant ships once declared goods. "What once took 10 days now takes just seconds online," said Liu Pengsheng, an officer at Wenzhou Immigration Inspection Station. He noted that Wenzhou Port's container throughput surpassed 1.5 million TEUs in 2024, with new Belt and Road Initiative shipping routes and the Jinhua-Lishui-Wenzhou Passage enhancing global trade links.

During the event, students also received China Living brochures and engaged in a Q&A session on immigration policies and border management, highlighting Wenzhou's role in facilitating international cooperation and cultural exchange.

An officer hands out China Living brochures to international students. [Photo/Wenzhou Immigration Inspection Station]