On the evening of December 17, 2025, the 10th "Cross-Border" Chinese and International Student Gala was successfully held at the theater of the Students' Center on ZJSU's Xiasha Campus. A signature international cultural exchange event that the university has continuously nurtured, "Cross-Border" celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Young Chinese and international students from across the world gathered together, using art as a shared language and culture as a unifying bond, to present a youthful celebration of diversity and emotional resonance.
Professor Gu Qing, Vice President of ZJSU, together with heads of relevant administrative departments and schools, attended the event. Representatives from external organizations, including the Exit and Entry Administration of the Qiantang District Public Security Bureau and the university's International Students' National Conditions Education Practice Base, were also invited to witness the 10th "Cross-Border" Gala.
Ten years of encounters, true to the original aspiration. "Crossing Borders" is the journey from one's hometown toward a wider world; "in the frame" is the frozen moment of cultural encounter and emotional resonance. Through music, dance, fashion, and drama, this year's gala vividly portrayed the real experiences of Chinese and international students studying, living, exchanging, and learning together at ZJSU, painting a youthful picture of openness, inclusiveness, and harmonious coexistence.
Opening Remarks
The gala opened with a speech by Professor Gu Qing, Vice President of Zhejiang Gongshang University. He noted that "Cross-Border" has grown from a campus cultural event into a calling card of the university's international education, bearing witness to its continuous exploration on the path of high-level educational opening-up. The university remains committed to openness, actively serves the nation's opening-up strategy and the Belt and Road Initiative, and continues to deepen international exchange and cooperation, striving to build a diverse, inclusive, and mutually learning international education environment.
He encouraged Chinese and international students to deepen mutual understanding through exchange, to cherish their time at ZJSU, and to become participants, promoters, and ambassadors of cultural exchange between China and the world—telling China's stories and conveying the power of youth on a broader stage.
A Multicultural Stage: A Night of Outstanding Performances
The evening opened with a high-energy band performance of "You Give Love a Bad Name," whose rousing melody instantly lit up the venue and kicked off the 10th "Cross-Border" Gala.
In Chapter One, "Gathering Global Talents at ZJSU," the traditional Kazakh dance "Nomad Soul" displayed the bold spirit and cultural confidence of grassland peoples through powerful, decisive steps. The Southeast Asian song medley—"Mai dai ko mai ao," "Rasa Sayang," and "Dayung Sampan"—conveyed youthful passion with bright melodies and genuine feeling. The "Twenty-Four Solar Terms Drums" performance "Cong," presented by the international student club of Zhejiang University, ingeniously blended traditional Chinese solar-term culture with diverse rhythms, bringing out the unique charm of cross-cultural creation through sonorous drumming.
In Chapter Two, "The Artistic Charm of China," the street dance "Jump" ignited the audience with dynamic rhythms, showcasing the vitality and confidence of Chinese and international youth. The pop song medley—"Love is Gone," "Dehors," and "Moscow Nights"—opened with guitar singing and wove together French, Cantonese, and Russian classics, demonstrating how music resonates across languages and borders. The musical-poetry piece "Elegant Rhythm and Wuxia Spirit" combined instrumental performance, calligraphy, and martial arts, exploring contemporary expressions of traditional Chinese musical elements through a balance of movement and stillness; martial arts by international students from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University added a multicultural perspective to the work's Eastern aesthetics.
In Chapter Three, "Building Dreams Across the Five Continents," the fashion show "Elegance Through the Ages" drew inspiration from historical Chinese costumes and famous Western paintings, presenting, through costume design and stagecraft, a vivid dialogue and fusion of Chinese and international artistic aesthetics. The multinational dance "Warmth Across Five Continents" brought together dance elements from Vietnam, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, presenting the exchange and resonance of diverse cultures on one stage. The international student skit "International ZJSU Students' Chinese Language Level-Up Journey" humorously and vividly told real stories of international students learning Chinese and settling into campus life, drawing wide resonance from the audience.
A raffle was also held during the gala, with prizes sponsored by Hangzhou Merach Technology Co., Ltd. The special performance "Stan" and the finale chorus "Together for a Shared Future" brought the evening to a climax. Amid warm, uplifting singing, the 10th "Cross-Border" Chinese and International Student Gala came to a successful close.
Scholarship Awards: Honoring Excellence
An international student scholarship award ceremony was also held at the gala, with Vice President Gu Qing presenting awards to winning student representatives. The scholarships not only recognize the efforts and growth of international students in their academic development and cultural exchange, but also reflect the university's sustained investment and strong commitment to the cultivation of international students and to international education.
Ten Years Captured, Setting Sail Toward the Future
Ten years are both a looking back and a new starting point. The 10th "Cross-Border" Chinese and International Student Gala was not only a feast of the arts but also a vivid lesson in international understanding. It bore witness to the encounter and fusion of cultures, and recorded the growth and transformation of youth through open exchange.
Looking ahead, Zhejiang Gongshang University will continue to use culture as a bridge, bring together the strength of youth, and keep deepening international exchange and mutual learning among civilizations—walking alongside the world and setting out toward the future on the path of diverse coexistence.
