Gansu Field trip is the regular summer field trip organized by the MID program. MID 2014 class counts with 15 students. 12 of the class from different nationalities joined the field trip, together with 2 members of the SPPM faculty and staff, led by associate Dean Ms MENG Bo. The field trip was designed to have better understanding of China’s western development on the theme of “One Road, One Belt” strategy.
Gansu is located at the northwest of China and it takes about 16 hours by train or about 3 hours by flight from Beijing to arrive into Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province. It has about 25 millions people and the province is well known for being the longest province, rich in minerals, agriculture products, and to have the best La Mian in China (spicy beef noodles).
The first stop was Lanzhou, It was the first time to all of the student to visit it. As any capital city, Lanzhou has a peculiarity with thousand of years of history. One of it characteristics is the 20 different ethnic living in harmony in a single city. It is admirable how Chinese government is able to create a state of harmony where people despite their religion, culture and language have adapted to coexist together.
Later in the afternoon, students and teachers from Lanzhou University gave a warm welcome with a lecture regard to the insides of Gansu province and Silk Road development. MID students took this opportunity to ask relevant questions related to their concerns learned during the courses, which helped them to understand from a different perspective the real situation of the rural areas development plans and how the Silk Road is expected to contribute in the economic future of the city.
Next day, complementary visits to different community management centers gave a real taste of the organizational system in China. These centers contribute to develop a healthy society. According to each district needs, each center offers different services such as free care for handicapped, for elders and for children. In order to manage and have an efficient control over the society from a positive perspective, E-governance, called grid-management, is been implemented in Lanzhou. It is basically using software and app that gather basic data of all residents in certain areas, which later can be display in a 3-D map and database. Lanzhou is complementing this software with cameras and devices that can take pictures and fine any person who creates pollution. Lanzhou is known as one of the most polluted city in China, it was hard to believe coming from Beijing to see Lanzhou is doing their best effort to mitigate pollution. MID Students could have closer look of the practical systems to mitigate pollution and to manage the population in the city.
Next Stop was Wuwei, at just 3 hours by train from Lanzhou. Wuwei enjoys a key geographical position with routes that connects western China with central China and China with Central Asia. A megaproject is been develop to create a free trade zone which will open the doors to the central Asia. On the same day, students had the opportunity to visit different manufactures such as solar panels, winery, elevators manufacturer and oil platforms.
Next day, MID student visited Wuwei high schools No.2 and No.6. Each one of the students had the opportunity to share some of it knowledge to the kids who were eager to learn and know more about Tsinghua Universty. It was an experience to help understand the competitiveness that children in China have in order to get into top universities in China, which is the door to ensure their future.
Before leaving Gansu, a meeting with the top government authorities of CPC Gansu was organized together with Tsinghua Gansu Alumni Association. At the meeting authorities introduced themselves and MID students had the opportunity to express their gratitude for their hospitality to host. There were still many questions that wanted to be asked before leaving and SPPM Gansu Alumni took their time to reply all the students’ questions, with was really constructive to understand China political and development system.
By, Freddy Auhing, Ecuador, MID2014 Class
The Gansu field trip on the theme of “One Road, One Belt” could be done with thanks to the effort of MID Office, Tsinghua Gansu Alumni Association, and CPC Wuwei authorities. It contributes to have a deeper understanding of the northwest development plans and the key rolls that central and local government plays to achieve a common goal.
