In Wenzhou, a vibrant and warm city, an international musician has woven a bond for cultural exchange between China and the world with the ethereal melodies of the handpan, and even turned this foreign land into his hometown. He is Hugo, an international maker at the Wenzhou International Youth Entrepreneurship Park  (WIYEP) — a percussion artist with dual Mexican and Spanish nationality, and the individual champion of the International Handpan Festival. Today, he has not only founded Wenzhou Hugo Music Co., Ltd. in the city, but also rooted himself deeply here with music as a bridge and love as an anchor, writing his own unique story in Wenzhou.

As an acclaimed professional percussion artist with numerous international awards, Hugo boasts a distinctive handpan style. His ethereal and infectious melodies have made him a rising star in the international music scene. A musician who was used to a wandering life, he was instantly captivated by Wenzhou when he first arrived in 2012. He has since settled here for 14 years, making the city his irreplaceable "second hometown".

Every Saturday, the Wuma Street in Wenzhou resonate with Hugo's handpan tunes. He performs with international friends on the same stage, breaking down cultural barriers through music and building a warm bridge for Sino-foreign cultural exchange. His studio is located in a digital cultural community in Ouhai District. In his spare time, he works as a handpan teacher, instructing children to play the instrument while integrating Chinese elements such as writing brushes and traditional patterns into his classes. He even attempts to blend the rhythms of Wenzhou's local operas with percussion music, and fuse Chinese musical elements with Spanish, creating a stunning harmony where Eastern and Western melodies collide and shine.

When talking about why he chose to stay in Wenzhou, Hugo's words are filled with sincerity. He once admitted in an interview that he was a lifelong bachelor, but the profound warmth and hospitality of Wenzhou completely changed his mind. The city's delicious food, pleasant climate and unique local customs all strike a chord with him. He has even learned to speak a little Wenzhou dialect, striving to integrate himself into the city. His encounter and love with a Wenzhou girl have ultimately anchored him here for good. Today, he has transformed from an internationally awarded musician into a street performer in Wenzhou, a music teacher for children, and most importantly, a new Wenzhounese who deeply loves this city. He roots himself in China with music, warms his life with love, and embraces Chinese culture with all his heart.

Hugo's story is a vivid epitome of how WIYEP empowers foreign talents to realize their entrepreneurial dreams. Founded in June 2025, WIYEP is the first park in Zhejiang Province dedicated to gathering outstanding international graduates from Chinese universities for innovation and entrepreneurship, and also the only pilot park for Zhejiang's entrepreneurship visa program. In just over half a year since its opening, the park has registered 26 foreign-owned enterprises and attracted more than 30 high-level foreign talents, who are alumni of renowned universities including Tsinghua University, Fudan University and Zhejiang University. Equipped with a comprehensive entrepreneurial support system and an open, inclusive entrepreneurial atmosphere, WIYEP offers a brilliant stage for every aspiring international maker to showcase their talents.

In 2026, WIYEP plans to further expand its scale, aiming to host 50 to 100 foreign-owned enterprises. It will also hold an innovation and entrepreneurship competition for outstanding international talents from universities across China to attract high-quality entrepreneurial projects to settle in Wenzhou. Here, international makers like Hugo can not only fulfill their entrepreneurial aspirations, but also deeply integrate into Wenzhou's culture and life, writing their own wonderful stories on this land brimming with opportunities.

Wenzhou, a city with a profound millennial cultural heritage and vibrant modern innovation, is embracing the world with an open mind. WIYEP will continue to provide a broad development space for international talents, empowering every dream-chaser to root, grow and shine here. We welcome more aspiring international entrepreneurs to join WIYEP, embark on your entrepreneurial journey in Wenzhou, let your dreams grow together with this city, and witness the splendid integration of Chinese and foreign cultures on this fertile land!