During the 2019 Tour of China, over May 16-28, the orchestra performed under the baton of conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, who is also the music director of the orchestra, with repertoires including Beethoven's Symphony No 6, Sibelius's Symphony No 2 and Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini featuring Chinese pianist Zhang Haochen. The orchestra also performed at the world premiere of Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun's vocal concerto, The Deer of Nine Colors, featuring Chinese soprano Lei Jia.

Besides performances at concert halls, residency activities were also held during their 2019 tour, ranging from side-by-side concerts with students at the Minzu University of China for a rehearsal, and presentation by Nicholas Platt at the Renmin University in Beijing, the diplomat who helped facilitate the orchestra's historic 1973 tour of China.

The residency was initiated in 2012 with the help of Platt, who is still a consultant for the orchestra and regularly accompanies the musicians on their trips to China.