Thirty-one sinologists from 17 countries gathered in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, for a training and exchange program on Sept 6.

The Hangzhou Class of the 2019 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists, which will last for one month, is an annual symposium jointly organized by the China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

During the visit, sinologists will take a close look at China's development since the reform and opening up and take time to appreciate the local culture and customs of Hangzhou.

The program, first started by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2014, aims to build a global platform for overseas young sinologists to conduct research on China.

The program has trained a total of 551 young sinologists from 103 countries since its establishment.