Foreign officials and human rights experts interact with a dinosaur-shaped robot on Monday at the Chengdu Humanoid Robot Innovation Center in Sichuan province. [Photo by Peng Chao/chinadaily.com.cn]

Officials and human rights experts from 11 countries observed China's efforts to leverage technology and traditional Chinese medicine to improve people's livelihoods on Monday during their visit to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

The delegates watched 3D videos without the need of glasses, tried livestreaming, and took photos with a virtual giant panda at the Chengdu Film and Television City. They also interacted with AI-powered robots at the Chengdu Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. At Zaozi Alley, a TCM cultural block in Chengdu, the group experienced TCM therapies at Chengdu University of TCM.

A delegate takes photos with a virtual giant panda on Monday at the Chengdu Film and Television City in Sichuan province. [Photo by Peng Chao/chinadaily.com.cn]

Georgi Milkov Georgiev, special correspondent for Bulgarian newspaper 24 Chasa, said he was impressed by how digitalization has changed China since his last visit 25 years ago. "You can learn a lot from China in this field," he said of China's humanoid robot development.

Geoffrey Miller, a geopolitical analyst at Gulf States Insights in New Zealand, compared coming to China to visiting the future. He noted that alongside technological advancement, China prioritizes people's quality of life, not just economic growth. "You can see the benefits of development in people's everyday lives," he said.

A delegate tries a unique acupuncture treatment that stimulates body meridians and boosts blood circulation without piercing the skin on Monday at the Elite Clinic of Chengdu University of TCM in Sichuan province. [Photo by Peng Chao/chinadaily.com.cn]

Neyra Paulino Estevez, human rights director of the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spoke highly of low-cost, high-efficiency TCM therapies after trying chuzhen, a unique acupuncture treatment that stimulates body meridians and boosts blood circulation without piercing the skin. "People are trying to avoid Western medicine that can harm your body," she said, "so I think TCM can help a lot and it needs to get to the world."

Sylvester Sinvula Sibungo, a senior official from Namibia's Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, praised the TCM treatment he received for his chronic ankle pain. "I hurt my ankle playing football five years ago, and the pain kept coming back," he said. "After this treatment, I feel much more relieved."