Christmas in Beijing

My recent visit to China, with a Labour Party delegation, was a major experience. My last visit was two decades ago, as China is not exactly just an hour away. What happened in between I had a glimpse from the media, which shows interest when there is a major international event in that vast country, or else when a European high profile politician pays an official visit.

Then there was the choice of China for the Olympics. China, I presumed, must be changing. The rushing procession of European Prime Ministers indicated that European countries were avidly seeking to do business with China. What I saw far exceeded my impressions and expectations.

China is exploding with development. This new development is in all directions. From the attire of the common citizen to the levels of high technology, China is rapidly not only gaining pace with the past, but projecting itself into the future. What has not changed is the good, humble and friendly character of the Chinese. It would be a pity if that changes. We have been taken around, and we could see for ourselves. It is not only Beijing that has changed.

In Xian

We had difficulties to land in Xian, as the fog did not want to lift. We left Beijing two hours later, were over Xian, but had to turn back, only to learn that we could leave again, and land hours later. We missed an important appointment - to visit the University of the Elderly.

The deputy director, a brilliant woman speaking impeccable English, started to explain the developments in this inland region. It did not take us long to notice the big billboards showing the foreign companies operating in Xian. Rather tired, we went into the hotel, a gem of architectural design. Imagine staying in a Chinese garden, with hotel facilities of the highest standards. In the lobby there were items of decoration still packed. We had our dinner and retired.

The next morning we were surprised to see that the hotel façade had been decorated with what we are so accustomed to: "Happy Christmas and Happy New Year".

Naturally, we asked why. The reply was that Christmas is celebrated and an occasion for rejoicing.

In Xian, foreign companies are investing heavily in high technology, and in partnership with the Chinese. Another area of partnership is in agriculture. New Zealand, for example, is interested in the different strains of the kiwi fruit. In New Zealand they have only three, while the Chinese have developed 23 varieties.

I am mentioning Xian for a simple reason. The city prides itself that it has the eighth wonder of the world. The Terracotta Army is a major tourist attraction. They have both external and internal tourism. But the local administration, which would be equivalent to a state in Europe by size and population, is not neglecting any aspect of the economy.

This province is jealous of its historical past, and any development is dovetailed into the preservation of the heritage. We visited their Buddhist pagoda, where the monks take care of their shrines. On the other side of the city, there is the Muslim area, with its traditional suq, and food which is not completely alien to us.

Hangzhou and back...

In Hangzhou we visited an industrial zone, with so many novel ideas and surprises. The central administrative office is so geared that an application for the setting up of a foreign company is processed within seven days. The zone provides even a centralised airconditioning system for the factories.

What was novel to me was that 15 university colleges and high technical institutions have been wedged into the industrial environment, passing from theory to practice. The director told us that the area was a mini-United Nations, as there were no fewer than 25 foreign flags in the industrial zone. It was a surprise to see German, French and other European firms, together with Japanese and South Korean and American factories, producing their goods or spares for their goods in this zone. The European factories did not set up their factories there because China eventually will become a member of the EU.

The reasons for such development cannot be the possibility of the internal market in China, which is huge. It cannot be the level of wages. There is something more that makes China an attractive place to set up shop. My impression is that they are transferring their natural hospitable character to a business asset, and it pays.

Back to Beijing, we were hosted to a farewell dinner by the Minister for International Affairs. Christmas was in the air. The Grand Hotel Beijing exuded the Christmas spirit. The excellent roads were lit up for Christmas. A stopover in Rome was dimmer and the Christmas spirit is rather late in coming. China is set to surpass, in a very pragmatic way.