There is a hidden gem in the southeastern Jiangsu province – where the Yangtze River and the Yellow Sea intersects, and where the textile, architecture, education, and kite-, wine- and violin-making thrive – that is Nantong city, or the "first city in modern China".

An immersive culture experience trip consisting of expatriates from the United States, Canada, Italy, Columbia, Egypt, Pakistan, Central Africa, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Algeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina was carried out on June 16-17 in Nantong's Haimen district.

At the welcome ceremony for the trip members, Dean Gordon Munk, a Canadian who has traveled quite a lot around China, cited the city as "seamlessly weaving together tradition and progress, and offering a glimpse into the nation's vibrant history while embracing the innovations of the modern world".