Expats enjoy themselves at the New Year celebration party in Donggang Street, the city's Putuo district on Jan 19. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

A group of 32 expats living in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, together with their children, gathered for a party to mark the up-coming Lunar New Year in Donggang Street in the city's Putuo district on Jan 19. 

The party was hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of Zhoushan.

The expats experienced some traditional local culture by learning about the folk crafts and customs such as fishing-rope-knot making and a tea ceremony, and showed much interest. 

"It's really amazing to make a knot out of a fishing rope. I'll take one back to school and have a good study of it," said Leng Sovanmarita, a Cambodian student from Zhejiang Ocean University, who managed to make a knot under the guidance of a local craftsman.

Ever since the Boeing 737 Completion and Delivery Center project landed in Zhoushan in October 2016, more and more foreign employees of Boeing have come to work in the city.

"We've already felt the warmth and hospitality of the city, which is like a home away from home for us," said Jeff Foster, chief operating officer of the center, who will be working in the city for the following three years. 

With its further opening-up and internationalization, Zhoushan has been witnessing an increasing number of foreigners flocking to the city to live and work there.  According to the city's foreign affairs office, there are currently over 600 permanent foreign residents in the city, mainly working in foreign companies and schools.