With colleagues at the Hangzhou Asian Games Museum. In 2022, the City hosted the Asian Games. The museum employs advanced immersive technology to offer a near-real feel of the games as they were. Photo | Courtesy | Kamurungi
The People's Republic of China is the second largest economy in the world, a leading tech and innovation hub, with an enigmatic reputation on the global stage
An opportunity to visit, and experience part of it in person thus filled me with such curiosity, anticipation and excitement, all this amplified by it being my maiden venture off the continent. I couldn’t wait.
After nearly 15 hours of travel from Entebbe International Airport, I landed at Peking International Airport, in Beijing City, China’s Capital. The internet affords us a fair look into the world, but all this is relegated as firsthand experience takes centre stage.
There I was, thousands of miles from home in a land that in the ensuing two weeks would offer a most fascinating experience.
The drive, approximately 30 minutes from the airport to our hotel in downtown Beijing, Chaoyang District revealed a modern architecture skyline and ultra-modern infrastructure.
This harmoniously coexists with well-planned and manicured green. Climbing plants hug flyover pillars and overpasses, offering a restful and easy sight. Pristine streets, and people going about business, an overwhelming number in slouched posture busy on their phones.
Culture immersion
The days that followed would take me on a journey of tapping into Chinese culture, as well as getting insights from each of my 32 colleagues drawn from different countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia.
One mind-blowing aspect about China is their strong sense of patriotism and an unquestionable spirit of the nation starting with the leaders and the citizens.
Our first lectures on day one focused on Chinese philosophy, the country’s history and values- these are also inculcated in the young people from an early age. Often, I grew envious of how proud the people here speak of the feats of their country. I wished that for myself, as a Ugandan.
To freely walk the streets without competing with motor vehicles, not having to worry about my phone being snatched or falling into an open manhole, the seamless flow of things, a well-organised public transport system offered such a break, a relaxing period.
Common on the streets of Beijing are bicycles. Several residents here use electric bikes for convenient movement and connecting journeys. For usage, all one has to do is scan a QR code (which serves both as the key and the billing system).
There are designated parking spaces in different areas, and no need to return the bike to the exact place where one picked it from.
This offers an insight into the well-organised and developed public service transport in the city. You can use a bike, get on the bus (clean and orderly with designated stops or use the metro. One of our guides, Burton, termed his means of movement as BMW “bus, metro, walking”.
With nearly 60 million cars on the streets of Beijing, traffic can be problematic.
The Chinese government has heavily incentivised the use of electric vehicles(EVs). These are distinctly identified by the green license plates and can be seen across the cities.
The government offers subsidies for buyers of EVs and while it may take years for one to secure a license to be on the road, electric cars take priority. This is one of the efforts by the country to reduce emissions.
Another key mark of this city is the cashless economy. You barely see citizens using cash, even though some entities accept it, mostly from visitors.
With continuous technology advancements, China has nearly transitioned into a cashless economy. Its customised WeChat app offers a range of services among them a payment system. All you have to do is scan a code- to pay for goods, buy a ticket, board the train and literally everything.
A hero born at the Great Wall
China’s capital, while an epitome of modernity, also offers a rich historical experience. Major historical landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven, and the Forbidden City among others are located here.
It is a modern world with its history and tradition delicately preserved.
The Great Wall of China is a true representation of the enduring spirit of the Chinese people. Build, the engineering marvel, is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the longest structure in the world.
It stretches for 8,800km, winding through the mountainous landscapes of North China.
“It would take approximately two years to cover the entire distance on foot,” our guide said.
By the time we reached the first observation point, I wished I had stayed put at the foot of this imposing giant. Her steps are steep and high making for an arduous climb, and an even trickier descent. But as far as fear of missing out (FOMO) goes, well, here I was becoming a hero for one is not a hero unless they have climbed the wall, the Chinese say.
Hangzhou- The Heaven City
On a drizzly Wednesday morning we had arrived in Hangzhou, one of China’s adored beauties. The ensuing four days would take me on a journey through a land that would captivate and retain a piece of my heart.
See there is a saying in the Chinese language along the lines of “Up above there is heaven; down below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou.” Famous Italian adventurer, Marco Polo, christened it the Heaven City.
The previous day when we arrived, a 30-minute drive from Xiaoshan International Airport, down to Zonhow Hotel revealed a glimpse of a picturesque city, of pristine streets, and the modern architecture that forms a magnificent skyline, ornamented by the meandering Qiantang River.
After a week in the baking summer heat of Beijing, an entry into Hangzhou felt like a glass of cold water on a sunny day. The air is cooler, the people more relaxed.
The capital of the Zhejiang province in eastern China, Hangzhou stands out as one of the most scenic cities in the country, a highly developed tourism city, and home to multi-billion dollar technology firms.
It is here that Alibaba, an e-commerce global firm was born, and has its head offices. The city also hosts landmarks including the Asian games museum.
It is also the home of tea and silk. Flying over Hangzhou reveals large tracts of land where tea is cultivated. China is the world's largest tea producer, exporter, and consumer.
West Lake
One of the most iconic features of the city is the West Lake. Any visit to Hangzhou without either a sunrise or sunset makes the visit incomplete. A friend had intimated these are most heavenly. Only the Sunrise, during summer in which we visited, is as early as 4.30 am.
Even then, the morning visit did not disappoint. Disembarking from my cab, my eyes were fixed on the clear waters, only interrupted by multiple structures of traditional Chinese architecture that make for a favourite photo spot for many a tourist as others took adventure in wooden boats.
Exquisite pink lotus flowers glide gracefully atop the clear waters, next to a prominent structure of Chinese traditional architecture that dominates and is a favourite photo place for many tourists.
Adjacent to the lake are gardens clinically manicured and adorned with beautiful flowers.
The West Lake experience also offers a peek into the social cultural life of the people.
Here, hundreds gathered for an early morning stroll, exercises, martial arts, and traditional dances. I have not in my life seen so many healthy–aged people.
They gracefully and slowly stretched their muscles. Many others engaged in traditional Chinese dances, martial arts, yoga and other exercises, their routines only disrupted by a brown figure walking the shores.
I do not think I have gotten so many looks as I did that Saturday morning. Surprise, excitement, shock, concern? Each face of the hundreds here, especially the young and the aged, carried one or more of these expressions. Some jostled for a photo, and attempted to touch my hair.
Astride the lake is a street of shops of designer brands, such as Alexander Wang, Hermes, Balenciaga, Tom Ford, Gucci, Channel, and Victoria’s Secrets, offering insight into the pedigree of the folk that visit the area.
A new media hub
Today, China stands as one of the leading nations in tech and innovation, and learning about new media and digital communication here meant interacting with top model 21c technology.
As part of collaboration with Uganda and the developing countries, the ministry of Commerce organised a seminar on Short video creation and communication in developing countries to build capacity and share lessons.
Mr Liu Linhai, the deputy of president of the Research and Training Institute of National Radio and Television Administration, of the People’s Republic of China (RTI of NRTA), which conducted the training, said the country was open to sharing lessons on how Chinese media has remained resilient and adapted in a digitally disrupted landscape.
The NRTA is a base for personnel training and international media training, offering national comprehensive strategies on diplomacy, international communication, and international aid.
The seminar that gathered participants from Afghanistan, Burundi, Cameroon, Fiji, Grenada, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius Nepal, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Zambia, also aimed to offer first-hand training at the bases of some of the new media establishments.
In Beijing and Hangzhou are multi-billion new media companies grossing millions of dollars including Joy Media, Wasu TV Media Group, CCTV Tower, and Highlight Image. Mr Linhai echoed China's commitment to mutual and win-win collaboration with Uganda across different areas.
