9 August 2007
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Robert Flawith visiting the Great Wall |
When Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Australia in 2006, he invited young Australians to visit China as a means of promoting mutual understanding between young people and deepening the relationship between the two countries.
In response to his invitation, the second Australian Youth Delegation recently made an eight-day visit to Beijing, Chengdu and Shenzhen. Their visit was organised by the Chinese government through the All China Youth Federation.
A group of 47 students from 21 universities took part. Most were able to speak basic Chinese, some fluently. Robert Flawith, an arts student studying media and Chinese at Sydney University, said he felt excited and lucky to be selected as a delegate.
The Australian visitors were able to witness the rapid development of China. The delegation toured the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, which showcases the mammoth construction and social engineering projects under way to prepare Beijing for the 2008 Olympics. Eight new metro lines will be opened, hundreds of kilometres of new roads will be built, and there is even a program to teach Beijing drivers to be more polite, called "traffic harmony is the wish of everyone".
In Beijing, besides the standard "must-see" tourist sights of Beijing - the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Hong Qiao markets - the delegation had a chance to mingle with their counterparts from the top universities in China. They visited Peking University, China's oldest and most selective university, set amongst beautiful grounds in northwest Beijing. There, Australian and Chinese students split into groups for discussion of issues which concern and interest them, including their predictions for the future of China and Australia-China relations. Topics ranged from the 2008 Olympics to the environment, as well as differences in the social and political systems of the two countries.
Robert Flawith said he was impressed by both the intelligence of the Chinese students and their strong critical thinking abilities. Despite the differences in education, culture and environment between the two countries, he said, students share a lot in common by growing up with the internet and the same concerns about environmental issues and global free trade issues - not to mention the stress of exams!
The students were struck by Chengdu's natural beauty and its spicy cuisine. They visited the lotus-filled lakes at Sansheng Village and learned about the threats to wild pandas at the Chengdu Giant Panda Research and Breeding Base.
Robert said he benefited immensely from his visit and gained an invaluable insight into the life of young Chinese people. He said he had returned home optimistic about the continued prosperity of Australia's relationship with China.
Contact: Claudia Liu
Phone: 02 9351 3191