"Instrument making in Tianjin is highly specialized, with materials, components, and skilled craftsmanship all closely connected," said Peter Mecoy, a member of the Tianjin People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and a well-known Australian blood donor who has lived in Tianjin for 33 years. He has donated platelets and whole blood more than 300 times since 2008.

"It's all put together so that everyone can cooperate," he added. "When you need materials, it's just five minutes away."

That industrial efficiency is increasingly winning global recognition. In 2022, Oves' high-end brand, Hootersmae, sponsored the 19th International Euphonium and Tuba Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, and has maintained ties with the event for three consecutive years — a testament to the rising international profile of Jinghai's instrument industry.

The group also visited the martial arts school at Tianjin University of Sport, where foreign guests tried their hand at traditional wushu, dragon and lion dances. At the Tichuang Digital Sports Health Research Institute, visitors tested intelligent health monitoring equipment and saw how technology is being integrated into sports and health management.