Shenzhen Daily columnist receives Guangdong Friendship Award

Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, received a Guangdong Friendship Award at a ceremony in Guangzhou yesterday.

He is also an ambassador of Shenzhen Global Communication and a content creator for Shenzhen Daily. Over the years, he has published more than 10 articles in the UGC Creators column of the newspaper, introducing Shenzhen's innovations, particularly in artificial intelligence and robotics, and China-Europe investment opportunities.

The Guangdong Friendship Award, in its second edition this year, is one of the province's highest recognitions for expats who have made outstanding contributions to the province's economic and social development and international exchanges. The first group of awardees was honored in a ceremony in Guangzhou in 2023.

Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, receives a Guangdong Friendship Award during the ceremony held in Guangzhou yesterday. Photos provided to Shenzhen Daily

Luigi Gambardella poses with a Honor humanoid robot in this file photo.

Gambardella, of Italian-Belgian descent, has worked to promote dialogue and cooperation between European and Chinese tech communities for more than a decade, bringing together companies, institutions and innovators around digital transformation and emerging technologies.

Gambardella has witnessed Shenzhen's transformation from a major manufacturing center into a leading innovation hub in telecommunications, artificial intelligence and robotics.

"Guangdong represents one of the most dynamic examples of how innovation, entrepreneurship and industrial capabilities can come together," Gambardella said. "Shenzhen's rapid development in artificial intelligence and robotics shows the importance of combining technological vision with the ability to scale up applications.

"The future will not be defined only by who creates the most advanced technologies, but also by who can build ecosystems capable of transforming innovation into real-world applications."

Guangdong, and Shenzhen in particular, has become a global reference point for innovation through the interaction of research capabilities, entrepreneurial culture and manufacturing excellence.

These connections, he added, will become increasingly important as artificial intelligence moves beyond software and becomes more deeply integrated into manufacturing and other aspects of the economy.

Gambardella said the award encourages him to build more connections between China and Europe.

"Technology has always advanced through connections between people, ideas and cultures," he said. "In the AI era, building bridges between innovation ecosystems is essential to creating shared opportunities and addressing global challenges."