The 6th China (Hezhou) New Media Summit and the Guangxi Hezhou Longevity Culture Festival were staged together on Nov 20 in Huangyao ancient town in Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, attracting the participation of more than 100 leading experts, academics and media representatives, among others.

On the table for discussion were development trends in the new media, as well as how the new media could cover Hezhou as a place where a large group of the oldest people in China are living.

Hezhou, with a history dating back more than 2,100 years since its foundation, is home to over 20 ethnic groups such as the Zhuang, Han and Yao ethnic groups. Renowned as a place with some of the cleanest air in the South China region, the city boasts a pristine natural environment, with a forest coverage rate of 72.9 percent and a total of 14 top national 4A-level scenic areas.

The number of people aged 100 or older in Hezhou exceeds 470, nearly three times the international level per capital for high longevity areas.

Lin Guan, mayor of Hezhou, said Hezhou is close to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and is a pilot demonstration zone in Guangxi for integrating into the area.

Lin noted that Hezhou planned to use the event to take a more active role in the Greater Bay Area to meet the demands of its residents who want to lead a longer, healthier life. He said it would become a demonstration base for big health industry projects, spanning medical treatment, health maintenance, leisure and entertainment to boost the sound development of Hezhou's health industry.

A series of activities were held during the event, including an awards ceremony for the 10 most dutiful offspring in Hezhou, lectures on traditional Chinese culture given by speakers from CCTV's The Lecture Room TV show, performances showcasing local ethnic culture and seminars.