Experiencing Hunan's economic, tech innovation from up close

In early summer, I embarked on a captivating journey to Central China’s Hunan province with a group consisting of Chinese and international students from Tsinghua University. This experience provided us with a great opportunity to explore the emerging technological industries in Changsha while immersing ourselves in the region’s rich cultural heritage. With each one bringing in their unique perspectives, this trip was both academically enriching and culturally entertaining.

Against the backdrop of China’s rapid transformations, Hunan has emerged as a pivotal center of economic and technological innovation.

Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province, has become a hub of technological potential, attracting many enterprises to invest and establish their presence here. Aiming to enrich our understanding of China’s “new quality productive forces” through practical experiences, we visited the Changsha Intelligent Valley, Aquaroot, Changshu Technology Co Ltd, and the Vary Co Ltd. We explored their pioneering technologies in artificial intelligence, water pollution mitigation, flow batteries, and waste processing, each representing cutting-edge developments in their respective fields.

Muhammad Asad, a Pakistani PhD student from the School of Environment, whose research focuses on biological waste processing, found the visit very enlightening. According to him, “Visiting the technology centers in Changsha offered profound insights into my research project. It was a very informative experience for all of us, and we are all impressed by how new and sustainable technologies are evolving in China.”

Similarly, witnessing the development of the Changsha high-tech industrial park was a highlight for Lu Yipei, who specializes on high-tech policies. The scale and ambition of the projects we visited reinforced his confidence in China's commitment to self-sufficiency through technological advancement. It was inspiring to see how Changsha has become a hub for innovation, blending cutting-edge technology with practical applications that can drive future technological development.

Observing the nuances, Zhang Chuyi, a Chinese master’s student of finance, said because the team members come from different countries, they often discuss the differences between our nations and the unique challenges each faces. “This trip made me realize why China needs to innovate and how it can succeed.” The large and densely distributed population, combined with a diverse geographical environment, presents complex challenges to waste management and water environment protection. However, Chinese companies have developed world-leading technologies under these pressures, transitioning from technology imports to independent innovation and now to technology exports. “This journey vividly demonstrated how new quality productive forces lead high-quality development,” Chuyi said.

Hunan also proved to be a great place to visit due to its immense cultural assets. In Huayuan county, we visited Shibadong village, the first place in China where the concept of targeted poverty alleviation" was raised in 2013. Within just 10 years, the village was transformed from an extremely poor village into an economically and culturally prosperous one. The achievements of its poverty alleviation efforts are reflected in its comprehensive upgrading of infrastructure and educational conditions and the innovative application of agricultural technologies through the emergence of tourism projects and agricultural cooperatives.

Our guide, a Miao ethnic young woman, chose to return to her hometown and contribute to its development after studying. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of targeted poverty alleviation policies and community efforts.

Walking through the village, we found the smiles of the local people, who are living a relatively well-off life, incredibly inspiring.

Zuo Jialu, a master’s student from the School of Public Management, was deeply impressed. She said “Although I learned about China’s achievements in poverty alleviation from both theoretical perspectives and case studies, this experience allowed me to get in touch with firsthand practices China has implemented to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The village is small, but it reflects the country’s care for the ordinary people who live in the remote mountains.”

Another enchanting destination our team visited was the Phoenix Ancient Town. This ancient city has a history of more than 300 years, with amazing architectural marvels dating back from the Ming and Qing dynasties, including the bluestone streets, wooden stilted buildings, Chaoyang Palace, Dacheng Hall, etc. Joshua, who comes from Barbados, expressed his amazement at the unique beauty of China’s minority cultures. He, along with many other teammates, tried on the local costumes to immerse themselves more deeply in the local culture and had a fantastic experience.

Another highlight was the visit to Yuelu Academy and the youth exchange between students from Tsinghua and Hunan University. As one of the oldest educational institutions in China, Hunan University traces its roots back to the Yuelu Academy founded in 976 AD.

Yuan Quan, a Chinese master’s student from the Shenzhen International Graduate School, stood before the ancient gates of Yuelu Academy and felt a profound connection to the past. The air was thick with the spirit of ancient scholars, and the halls echoed with centuries of academic pursuit. “It was here that I truly understood the depth of Chinese traditional culture,” he said. The openness and inclusiveness of ancient Chinese education were evident in every corner of the academy.

The 4-day visit concluded with a fruitful round-table discussion with Hunan University students over topics such as experience sharing of rural revitalization practices and our understanding of new quality productive forces. By sharing our findings and reflections, the discussions provided us with a great platform to openly share our different perspectives. This educational exchange was not just a look into the past but a significant learning experience for our contemporary education and academic research. It also underscored the importance of cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex global issues.

Overall, this journey through Hunan was a meaningful exploration encompassing culture, technology, and humanity. “The blend of tradition and modernity, where cutting-edge research and development thrived alongside cultural heritage, was truly impressive, remarked,” said Xiong Tian, a master’s student from the Shenzhen International Graduate School.

The journey illuminated the interconnectedness of global knowledge networks. Our time in Hunan left an indelible mark on us, reaffirming our commitment to advancing knowledge and fostering cross-cultural understanding. The spirit of relentless pursuit of knowledge and the passion for learning that filled these halls were inspiring, reminding us that these values remain vital even today.

The author is a 1st year Master's student studying International Relations at School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University. Her research interests include international organizations and global governance.

Joshua Koebe, Liku Amare, and Asad Muhammad contributed to this story.

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