The pandemic may not be over yet. However, we are no longer in the phase of lockdowns. The world is opening its doors to welcome new people and China is no exception. Having not visited China since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was excited to be visiting the country again.
I landed at the Shanghai airport on the 6th of June. From Shanghai, I took a high-speed train to Wenzhou. There is a lot of history in the Wenzhou city. I visited the European street, local markets and the waterfront in Wenzhou. The local cuisine in this city is unique and I suggest to give it try it when in this city. After spending some time on a nice breezy drizzling day in the city, I took a train the next day to visit Ningbo.
Ningbo is another unique city. The temperature was slightly lower than Wenzhou, and it was less humid too. Some unique characteristics of Ningbo are its electric bicycles, local cuisine, museums and night markets. I stayed in Ningbo at LA hotel in the University of Nottingham. I took part in the daily 5k morning runs at the University. I attended the Academy of International Business Special Theme Conference – Sustainable Development and International Competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Post COVID-19 Era. Everybody at the University spoke fluent English, which is a rare treat in China. I had great conversations with research professionals, professors and like-minded individuals at the conference. Through pursuing an MBA and my interest in the business aspect of the conference, I gained insight into sustainability and competitiveness in business. With many learnings, the conference ended on a high note with a luxurious dinner and karaoke.
The next stop in my trip was equally exciting; Shanghai. This city is now my favorite city in the country, as I feel it has something to offer to everyone. No matter what inclinations you have, or what taste you are into, Shanghai has got it all. I liked the fact that we were staying in the Puxi part of the city. It’s a good blend of both modern and old architecture and cultures. Shanghai has so much history attached to it, I shall have to visit it more to explore it all. The most exciting part for me was the company visits. I visited the offices of CDP global, PwC, Gensler, GM-SAIC, Orbit Startups and Fedex. Each one of them had its own unique teachings. All of them conduct business in different areas with fewer overlaps and that made the experience even richer. Getting an opportunity to speak with stakeholders at various levels of the company’s operations, from CEOs to Partners, I had a truly unique opportunity. Getting a platform to interact, ask questions and hear their views enhances my perception of business, and it gave me a new sense of enthusiasm moving forward. On a lighter note I visited the Roosevelt club, at the heart of the city and got to meet wonderful people over some drinks. The club has its own history, and I was amazed to meet some of the members of the club with the view from the rooftop overlooking the Pudong skyline.
I also visited the local gardens and the Shanghai Tower to explore the landscape further. The food in Shanghai is unparalleled. Atleast from the vegetarian perspective, I had the highest options to choose from. The taste of different cultures from both modern and the traditional areas of China was represented wonderfully in the city. Overall, it was an amazing experience.
I travelled next to Xiamen. While Shanghai was my favorite city in the trip, Xiamen takes the second spot. From its food to the scenery, Xiamen is truly magnificent. I visited my business partners in Xiamen, and in the afternoon we visited a temple in the heart of the city. In the dense greenery, we took some photos and then proceeded to a local seafood restaurant. The hospitality and warmth of the locals in Xiamen was amazing and I had a good time in the city.
Next, I took a train for Guangzhou. Having been to Guangzhou before, I knew what to expect. I was received in Guangzhou by my business colleagues who took me to visit their plant. We spent some time in the plant before we headed out for lunch. After some rest, we explored the local market and bought some unique delicacies and its famous Lychees for my trip ahead to the last stop.
I travelled to Beihai next, which is towards the southern part of the country. I think it would be fair to call it a beach town. It is surrounded on three sides by water, and it has some nice beaches. I stayed there for 2 days and visited the factory of my business partners Xinyi Glass on the first day. Their new factory was bigger than any other I had seen so far in the trip, and it was great to see their different processes, labor costs and operations of the plant. The next day we visited the silver beach, which was labelled as the best beach under the blue sky. I also visited the local markets and tried some unique delicacies; different variants of sugar waters, concluding this trip full of memories.
Life is made richer by experiences, and this was undoubtedly an exceptional one.