A five-day storytelling event bringing together nearly a dozen international journalists and content creators kicked off in Zhengzhou, Henan province, on Monday, with participants sharing expectations for deeper firsthand engagement with Chinese culture, industry and new media trends during the trip.

The "Meet in Zhongyuan, Discover China Through Henan – 2026 China Storyteller Partnerships Henan Tour", which runs through Friday, is jointly organized by China Daily, the Information Office of the Henan Provincial Government, and Henan Daily.

Journalists, experts and content creators from countries including the United States, Luxembourg, Vietnam, South Korea, Spain, Russia, Lithuania and Egypt are taking part in the event.

According to organizers, the tour will take participants along two main routes across Henan — one tracing the backbone of China's manufacturing industry and technological innovation, and the other exploring the ancient capitals.

"The essence of China is held within the people and the culture they are eager to share, something that can only be appreciated through firsthand experience," said Thomas Jay Hopkins, who came to China about eight months ago.

Hopkins, a reporter with China Daily, also noted the rapid rise of China's micro-drama industry, describing it as an emerging media format distinct from traditional television and film. "It's a major economic driver right now, attracting huge audiences and generating substantial revenue," he said.

"I know AI is also widely used in micro-drama production, and this is definitely a growing trend," he added.

At the launch ceremony, some participants also shared their views on the use of artificial intelligence in media production.

Geoff Thompson, editor-in-chief of G-Media Sarl in Luxembourg, said he has instructed staff members to view AI as an aid but not to rely on it for writing tasks. "We can use AI translation tools like Google Translate just to understand reference materials," Thompson said."But when it comes to creating original content, we do not use AI, and we do not use any AI content generation tools."

"We launched the China Storyteller Partnerships in 2023 as a warm, vibrant home for content creators worldwide — a platform for foreign journalists, experts and social media creators who are passionate about China to share their stories," said Xing Zhigang, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily.

According to Xing, the partnership has since expanded into a network of members from nearly 50 countries, including the US, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkiye and Mexico.

Ping Ping, head of the Information Office of the Henan Provincial Government, described Henan as a province steeped in history with a strong economy. She said the province is eager to collaborate with international creators in telling authentic Henan stories to global audiences.

"Let foreign journalists, experts and content creators speak and see for themselves, so they can present an innovative, open and civilized Henan to the world," she said.

"My visit to Henan in 2024 was an eye-opener, both regarding the economy as well as cultural heritage," said Thompson, adding that he was excited to return and see how the province had changed.

Spanish vlogger Rodriguez Pascual Noelia, who has lived in China for six years, said this was her third visit to Henan.

"I'm really glad to be here, and eager to learn more about this ancient northern capital and the heritage of the Song Dynasty (960-1279)," she said. "I'm looking forward to exploring more about this province."