The sight of Qingdao's landmark May Fourth Square on June 2, 2018. (Photo: CGTN)

This year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit will open this weekend in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao, and local organizers are using the opportunity to promote the city’s image and capabilities on this unique international stage. 

In just four days, much of the world’s attention will switch towards the port city, over the 18th SCO summit.

Finishing touches are being made, and 22,000 volunteers have been brought in to help out. One in ten of those are from local universities, and they are assigned various tasks ranging from translation (interpretation), catering to reception and guidance.

Among the volunteers are Yu Bingshang, and his friends, who arrived in Qingdao after an eight-hour train journey. They worked hard, sometimes up to more than 10 hours a day, to help clean up trash.

Meanwhile, crowds have been flocking to see the remarkable flower arrangements in the city’s landmark May Fourth Square. As Qingdao turns ever more colorful, the local residents are seeing the real potential of their city.

“It’s a great honor for us that the summit is being held in our hometown. We are so pleased to see the changes in Qingdao every day. I wish the summit a great success. We love Qingdao,” said a local resident Zhao Mingying.

The port city also welcomed the SCO guests with special 3D lights show by its sea front, illuminating the city’s landmarks in the CBD area.

Among the viewers is an Indian family of three. Ashok Kumar Rajan has been working as an IT engineer in Qingdao for two years, but it is the first time that his wife and daughter pays a visit to Qingdao. 

“Qingdao will be better known by other countries. I think it will be more like a tourist spot after the summit,” said his wife Padma.  

In 2008, Qingdao hosted sailing events for the Beijing Olympic summer games. A decade later, the city is set to make another big splash on the international stage.