Sixteen foreign students participate in the China Central Television's Channel 4 reality TV show. [Photo/CNTV]

The different cultural backgrounds of the overseas students and their fresh perspective on Chinese culture and society will also help Chinese better understand themselves, he says.

When the 16 students were picked from among hundreds of foreign candidates, their "critical thinking" was important to selectors.

"They may have some unconventional opinions, but China now has enough confidence to face the world's diverse insights," Guan says.

The show seeks to not just entertain TV viewers or offer glimpses of Chinese landscapes but also project the connections the students make with local communities through it, he says.