Public signage campaign draws wide support

Video by Lin Jianping

The citywide public signs improvement campaign reached its sixth leg Tuesday, drawing a diverse mix of local and expat residents. Participants included not only international volunteers and local language enthusiasts, but also members from the Shenzhen Associations of Senior Scientists and Technicians, who joined the monthly “City Language Watch” event in Shekou, Nanshan District to help improve bilingual signage at Shekou Cruise Homeport, Sea World Culture and Arts Center and Sea World.

Participants take a group photo at Shekou Cruise Homeport in Nanshan District on Tuesday. Photos by Lin Jianping except otherwise stated

Before the hunt began, campaign staff briefed participants on typical errors – mistranslations, absent English equivalents and incomplete content, and reminded them to restrict submissions within the designated scope, excluding private shops and commercial advertisements.

Participants take a group photo at Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Nanshan District on Tuesday. Wang Haolan

‘Something to be proud of’ ahead of APEC

Five retired senior professionals from the Shenzhen Associations of Senior Scientists and Technicians took part in the event. Mr. Wu, the association’s technical lead for its “woodpecker” initiative – a nickname for members who “peck” at language flaws – said the group had taken the mission seriously since April. “We have trained more than 200 people on site and set up a WeChat group with 160 active members,” he said.

A member from Shenzhen Associations of Senior Scientists and Technicians checks the signage at Shekou Cruise Homeport in Nanshan District on Tuesday.

Why such dedication? “APEC China 2026, scheduled to take place in Shenzhen, marks China's third time serving as the APEC host, following the 2001 Shanghai meeting and the 2014 Beijing meeting,” Mr. Wu explained. “For us, this is a rare opportunity to be part of a global event, no matter in what way we participate. It’s something we can be proud of and even set an example for our children.”

During the Shekou challenge, Mr. Wu was impressed by the quality of bilingual signage in the district. “Shekou, and Nanshan District as a whole are among the Shenzhen’s forerunners in development,” he noted. He pointed out that the area’s signs include Korean and Japanese as well as English, reflecting its multicultural character. “Clear, accurate bilingual signs speak volumes about a city’s civility,” he said. “If Chinese and English are both correct and easy to read, the city’s sophistication shows.”

A member from Shenzhen Associations of Senior Scientists and Technicians checks the signage at Shekou Cruise Homeport in Nanshan District on Tuesday.

British expat: Shenzhen improves every day

Daryl, a creative professional from the U.K. who has lived in Shenzhen for five years, said what he loves most about the city is what others often lament – its lack of a long history. “Some people say Shenzhen has no history, but for me that’s what makes it special. We are writing history right now,” he said. “In less than 50 years, it has caught up with Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong – that’s incredible.”

Daryl (R) talks with a member from Shenzhen Associations of Senior Scientists and Technicians during the event.

A stickler for detail, Daryl said he expected to find more errors but was pleasantly surprised. “Shenzhen is very modern and the quality is very good, all around. But there are some little details that I've noticed that do need improving. So that's what we are going to do.” He was, however, bewildered by a sign reading, "Normally-closed fire resistant doorset keep closed," and is still looking for the perfect phrasing to fix it.

“I visited Shekou Cruise Homeport a year and a half ago, and it has improved a lot,” said Daryl. “That’s why I love Shenzhen. It’s always moving forward.”

He stressed that events like this are crucial as the city prepares to host APEC. “Details are the easiest thing to miss out. We want to present Shenzhen in a positive light to the world, so it is very important that we put more focus on details.”

The “City Language Watch” monthly challenge, organized by Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Office, Shenzhen Daily, and Shenzhen Media Group’s First Scene, has held six monthly offline challenges since this year, covering transport hubs, major exhibition centers and commercial districts. The online reporting platform remains open to the public, and future offline events are scheduled monthly until November.

A participant checks the signage at Sea World Culture and Arts Center on Tuesday.

Residents are invited to join the campaign and start with every sign, helping increase Shenzhen’s international image one small detail at a time.