The dream to visit China has always lingered on my mind for a very long time.
This year (2023) I was part of a group of Journalists from several African countries selected to take part in the ‘Seminar for Heads of the International Departments of Major Media Outlets From African Countries’ held in Beijing from May 10th to May 23rd.
The seminar sponsored by the ministry of Commerce and organized by the China International Communications Group (CICG) Institute of International Studies and Advanced training brought together Journalists from Kenya, Nigeria, Angola, Tunisia, Mauritius, Ghana and Burundi.
Special appreciation to Mama Salma Noor for making this dream a reality
I was in China not only to learn but also get a first hand experience of the great country with a rich history and culture.
In this article, I want to share with you some of the things that I liked about China and places I managed to visit.
People
I just loved the people in China. The people were kind and positive. The people really like meeting foreigners especially Africans, they are always eager to learn more about Africa and speak our different languages. The first thing they will ask from you is a picture , to take a photo together and are always ready to teach you their Chinese language.
I remember one evening as we were having a walk with colleagues in one of the busy streets, a group of young Chinese approached us and told us “ China and Africa are very good friends” before requesting for a picture with us, they even offered to take us round and show us some of the nice places around.
Check Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgU0sqrN2Ec&t=17s
Technology
The level of technology advancement in China is very impressive. Everything in China works with a QR code, nobody asks for your phone number, all they need is your QR code.
The most interesting thing is there is no WhatsApp in China not unless you are using VPN. In china people use their version of WhatsApp, WeChat, this is everything in one app. You can use for chatting, making payments among other things.
In China, people rarely walk around with cash. China is a cashless society thanks to the e-payment apps , all you need to have is just your smartphone. All transactions, when paying for your taxi, taking a bus, paying for your shopping or any other transaction you just use WeChat or Alipay which is another popular application used especially when doing online shopping.
Beijing Bicycle Lifetsyle
The public bicycles in Beijing help the residents reach different places within the city conveniently. Riding a bicycle in Beijing city is convenient, flexible and efficient especially during rush hours.
There are different specific docking stations for the bicycles in almost all parts of the city where one can easily access the bicycles for their use.
The bicycles can be rented through mobile apps where you just scan through your smart phone.
Check video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLTrJ4oIukg&t=9s
Beijing Subway
The Beijing Subway is the second longest subway system in China and the World. The Beijing subway has 24 subway lines in operation, 428 subway stations, and cover a total route length of over 700 kilometers.
The subway has over 20 lines including 19 rapid transit lines, two airport express lines, one maglev line and 2 light rail lines.
The subway has automatic ticket machines that can scan smartphones for payment.
The Beijing subway system provides Beijing visitors with a fast, convenient and cheap way to get around.
Beijing subway is not difficult to navigate, with signs and onboard announcements in English and Chinese. There are also LED displays in more modern carriages. Signs in subway stations on either side of the tracks indicate upcoming stations and journey times.
Check Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgl3mcjA7Ik&t=16s
Below are some of the places that we visited in China.
The Great Wall of China
"If you haven't been to the Great Wall, you aren't a real man," Mao Zedong.
What is the point of visiting China if you do not climb the Great wall?. This is a ‘Must’ when travelling to Beijing. It is among the seven Wonders of the World.
The wall, a defense made of various materials stone, rammed earth, brick was built on imperial order to protect the empire from invasion. The Chinese have a long history of building walls, dating from the Warring States period.
With a total length of 21196 kilometers (13170 miles), the wall is connected by different wall sections built in different dynasties. There are more than ten sections of the Great Wall open to tourists and each of the sections offers different sights and levels of accessibility.
Watch my video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t_Dc206OIA
Yongtai Ancient Castle
Yongtai Fortress, a 400-year-old ancient city built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is located in the Gobi desert in Jingtai County of Baiyin, Northwest China's Gansu Province.
Due to it’s castle resembling a golden turtle, it is also known as "turtle city".
It is the most representative and well preserved military castle of the Ming Dynasty along the Silk road and an important component of the defense system of the Ming Great Wall. It is currently a national key cultural relic protection unit, a famous historical and cultural village in Gansu, a film and television shooting base in Gansu province and a municipal defense education base.
Yongtai Ancient castle with its unique architectural form and primitive ecology in the Northwest has attracted the attention of many movie directors. With the filming of film and television works such as ‘Western Hot Land’, ‘Sweat Hot Blooded Horse, ‘Battle of Chama Town’ among others.
Tiantishan Mountain Grotto / Giant Buddha Statue
While in Gansu, we also visited the historic Tianti Mountain Grotto. With a history of 1,600 years, the Tianti Mountain Grotto is one of the earliest grottos excavated in China
Inside the mountain lies a 92ft-high Buddha statue along with its heavenly guards. Mmebers of the Buddha community regard this as a sacred place where they visit for special prayers and as a source of inner peace.
The name, Tiantishan, means a mountain with a ladder to heaven.
As the biggest statue in Tiantishan Grottoes, the Buddha, in No 13 Cave of this Buddhist grotto complex, has been there for more than 1,300 years.
Check Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ztssSSe-E&t=12s
