简体中文
"Bird's Nest"national stadium in
Beijing
was built in 2008. [Photo/CFP]
(CHINADAILY) When my friends at China Daily proposed that I share with its readers some impressions frommy experience of living in China, I thought that one day I would like to write a book to recordin detail those impressions and rich experiences I gained through living and working in thisgreat land. However, for an article I have to be brief. Therefore, what I would like to share aresome of the dimensions that I discovered about China and the Chinese people through myexperiences in three different cities.
Beijing
Beijing was my home city in China. I have many fond memories of my life there, thatdeveloped to a sense of belonging to the city that makes part of me feel like a "Beijinger". Ofall the cities that I had lived in around the world, Beijing was the only one that I kept returningto after leaving it.
From 2005 to 2008, I observed Beijing planning and preparing for the opening of the OlympicGames that took place at 8 pm on Aug 8, 2008. The capital city was transformed in manyways. Ancient sites were restored in a magnificent way. Many old neighborhoods gave way tonew residential, shopping, and business areas that were developed with state-of-the-artarchitecture and landscaping. In my view, ordinary people were the champions of the event:the construction workers who came from the provinces to build the Olympic City and Beijing'snew high-risers, the middle school children who hosted students from a school in Egypt tocelebrate the spirit of the Olympics, and the senior citizens of the city who I used to meet inthe parks. They would practice their English language with me so that they could volunteer asguides to foreign visitors during the Olympics. Needless to say, the Chinese youth whovolunteered during the events from the opening until the closing ceremonies of the Olympicswere equally champions.
What I realized during this period was that as much as hosting the Olympics was a goal to beachieved by the Chinese people, it was also used as a mean to upgrade Beijing'sinfrastructure and services. In addition to that, the Olympics were a way to develop thecapabilities of the Chinese people and further integrate them with the world. It was also anopportunity to show the world what China and its people have achieved through 30 years ofopening up and reform. Furthermore, the Olympics built a momentum that was built upon insubsequent years. The Beijing Olympics proved to be a successful model that was emulatedthroughout the country, such as when Shanghai hosted the Shanghai Expo in 2010 and whenGuangzhou hosted the Asian Games in 2011. These successes show how the Chinesegovernment is developing society by setting goals and challenges to meet. Once these goalshave been achieved, they create a model to be followed and built upon in different areas.
AchildisworshipingDengXiaopinginfrontofhisstatue**in
Shenzhen
on**April 4, 2014. [ Photo / CFP*]*
Shenzhen
Shenzhen in Guangdong was another city on the mainland where I discovered differentdimensions of China, especially related to the Chinese people's dynamism and mobility. Itwas one of the cities that I visited several times during my stay in China, and each time I usedto witness and learn new things that added to my knowledge and enriched my understandingof China. The city stood as a symbol for and a result of China's policies of reform and openingup that were launched by Chairman Deng Xiaoping. Shenzhen was one of China's firstexperiments with a special economic zones (SEZs), and it represents, in my view, a model forother developing countries to learn from.
The speed with which Shenzhen developed and grew gave it the title of the "Overnight City";people used to compare its rising buildings to bamboo shoots after a good rain. I admired theway the city was planned, keeping a balance between urban construction and naturalgreenery. Shenzhen is a city where young people represent the majority of its population.Many of Shenzhen's inhabitants migrated from their home cities and villages in the westernprovinces to pursue their dream of having a better life.
I can imagine the positive impact of the exposure that many of these youths gain from livingand working in Shenzhen. Equipped with new skills, knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit,many of these youths could return to their home villages and cities in the western provinces tocontribute to their social and economic development.
In modern history, while many developing countries are exporting migrants to the outsideworld for economic or political reasons that create the phenomena of brain drain, most of themigrant movements in China during the past decades are heading from the country's westernprovinces to the eastern ones. The result of these migrant movements will be that thesuccessful models of the eastern provinces will be emulated in the western ones.
Although Shenzhen is not a city of ancient history like many other places in China, I admiredthe attention paid by the city's government and urban planners to the cultural features of thecity. When visiting Shenzhen, I used to enjoy attending many of the cultural and artperformances there, as well as the "Culture Industry Fair" hosted annually by the city.
Shenzhen, which started off as a small fishing village looking out from the mainland at HongKong, has transformed into a big, vibrant metropolis, standing tall and setting the speed andquality by which China has been developing since the 1970s.
Li**Mingcui ,61, wearingQiangminority**costumes , holdsaredscarfasasignofrespecttotherescuersduringtheMayearthquakeatBeichuanCounty , SichuanprovinceNovember11, 2008.Liwasdugoutbyrescuersabout164hoursaftertheearthquakeon**May 12, 2008. [ Photo / CFP*]*
Chengdu
Chengdu in Sichuan was the third city experience I had in China that deeply influenced me. Ivisited the city twice. My first visit was as a guest to see the industrial area in Chengdu, whereI was impressed by the developed aviation industry in particular. Later, I had one of my mostmemorable tourist experiences by climbing the mountains to visit Gugaizhou Park, a place ofnatural beauty and tranquility that moves the mind and the soul from earth to feel closer toheaven. Later on, I paid a visit to the panda station where Chinese experts created a specialenvironment to breed and protect one of the most adorable animals in the world. The pandahas become a Chinese icon and a distinguished part of Chinese diplomacy because it is theonly animal that is issued a special passport to travel as a guest to different countries aroundthe world.
My second visit was on a rather sad occasion but it left a deep impression in my mind andheart. On May 3, 2008, part of Sichuan suffered from a strong earthquake that caused a lot ofdamage and led to many casualties. Egypt was one of the first countries to express itssympathy to the Chinese people and government by sending urgent relief on two big militaryaircraft. I flew to Chengdu to receive the cargo and handed it over to the Chinese rescueauthorities so that they could distribute it to the people in the affected areas. When Iexpressed my wish to visit the people in the areas most affected by the earthquake, theChinese officials in charge were surprised, as this was the first such request from a foreigndiplomat. I am glad and grateful that they responded to my request because what I witnessedmade me feel closer to the suffering of the people and allowed me to experience the strengthand resilience of the Chinese in the face of hardships and calamities.
I will never forget the smiles of the children I visited in a newly built, makeshift school when Igave them a small gift of children's story books. I brought from the city as a personal gift on aday that happened to be the International Day of the Child.
What I witnessed, from the speedy mobilization, the resilience of the people and the smiles ofthe children in their classes in the middle of the disaster area not only impressed me but gaveme a glimpse of the future of China.
The above are just part of my experience in China, which covered many places, events andinteractions with people from all walks of life. I still live and enjoy not only the memories Icarry with me but the knowledge I try to gain everyday about the history, culture anddevelopments in this great nation.
