British vlogger becomes cultural 'ambassador' for Liuzhou, S China's Guangxi

Sophie Chen, a 35-year-old British vlogger who has called China home for 12 years, has emerged as a cultural "ambassador" promoting Liuzhou in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region through social media.

The former McDonald's manager from Chester, England, left her position in 2012, drawn by the growing interest in Mandarin Chinese across the United Kingdom, particularly in cities like Manchester. She saw this as an opportunity to explore China while learning the language.

Sophie Chen, third from left, prepares ciba, a traditional sticky rice dish, during a community event in Luorong town, Yufeng district, Liuzhou city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (File photo)

Her journey in China began in a rural village where locals welcomed her warmly. Later that year, she settled in Liuzhou, finding similarities between her new home and Chester – both featuring pristine rivers, cultural heritage and industrial bases.

Chen has documented her life in Liuzhou through short videos, capturing both her personal growth and the city's development. For instance, in one video featuring the Liujiang River, she highlighted the city's nationally recognized water quality, which has ranked first in China for surface water quality since 2020.

She credits luosifen, the city's famous river snail rice noodles, as a key factor in her attachment to Liuzhou. Having immersed herself in local cuisine, she describes the city as a culinary haven. She has adopted local customs, from using chopsticks to shopping for Chinese New Year goods and trying traditional practices like guasha, a therapeutic scraping technique.

Sophie Chen enjoys luosifen, a local specialty of river snail rice noodles, in Liuzhou city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Hao Xiaofeng)

"Liuzhou is my second home," Chen said.

Chen has channeled her affection for China and Liuzhou into efforts to share Chinese culture globally. She currently teaches at Liuzhou Institute of Technology and shared her experiences at the International Dialogue on Stories of Global Development, hosted by China International Communications Group.

Sophie Chen speaks at the International Dialogue on Stories of Global Development, organized by China International Communications Group. (Photo courtesy of China International Communications Group)

The Guangxi region launched its "Guangxi storytellers" initiative in 2022, appointing Chen to the initiative late last year. In September, she accepted a position as a Guangxi Communication Officer for Promoting Chinese Culture, a program jointly established by Guangxi Daily and Guangxi Radio and Television.

Chen noted that many people worldwide are curious about China and have warm feelings toward the country. She uses her social media presence to share what she sees in Liuzhou, helping more people understand the beauty of Liuzhou and Guangxi, as well as the charm of China.

Sophie Chen, second from right, participates in an event at Liuzhou Institute of Technology in Liuzhou city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Wei Jing)

Having witnessed Liuzhou's development over 12 years, Chen expressed her commitment to continue documenting the city's evolution and sharing authentic stories about China through her video content.