By Zhu Fengjuan

Foreign Experts on Sightseeing Tour around Zhejiang

By Zhu Fengjuan

Zhejiang did a lot to connect itself with G20 this year. In June 2016， a group of foreign experts working in Zhejiang traveled around Zhejiang so as to acquire a comprehensive perspective of the province's economic and social growth. Many of the experts on the tour are recipients of West Lake Friendship Award.

One of the places they visited was Wuzhen， an ancient town of rivers and canals in northern Zhejiang. Since 2014， Wuzhen has hosted World Internet Congress. Yoshitaka Shima， a Japanese professor and now a visiting scholar with the Eastern Languages and Cultures College of Zhejiang Gongshang University， was deeply impressed with Wuzhen. He had long since heard of Wuzhen and the visit provided him withreal images and impressions. He wrote in a travelogue:“Wuzhen is well known as a river town. The well preserved streets reflect the splendor of the past， which attract a lot of tourists. The hotel where we stayed was beautifully decorated inside in sharp contrast with its neoclassic appearance. The town perfectly blends the modern and the traditional.”

The tour opened his eyes wider to the universality of internet in everyday life of Zhejiang. He came to Hangzhou in April 2016. Much to his surprise， he found local people use internet frequently. He observes: “Local people make payments by Alipay and nearly use no cash at all. People on the campus communicate constantly on WeChat. Internet is more widely used in China than in Japan.”

在舟山实地考察。The foreign experts visit a factory in Zhoushan Archipelago.

One of the places on their tour across Zhejiang was Cangqian， a town of 800 years and now best known as Dream Town. The experts were deeply impressed with a legion of high-tech startups working their dreams in the 3-km2 incubator. Businesses in China are seeking ways to upgrade themselves by integrating with the internet. “China used to pursue economic growth through labor-intensive industries. Nowadays， the government encourages restructuring and upgrading through new industrial policies，”commented Jong-seong Lim， an engineer from Canada now working for Geely Group in Zhejiang.

Lishui in the south of the province fascinated the experts with its scenic beauty，history， and culture. They visited the land of ancient weirs and art， a popular tourist destination that covers several rural towns. It boasts several ancient weirs. And its scenic beauty attracts artists. The land has an artist settlement. Many have settled down there and many come here regularly to paint. Art galleries have mushroomed in Dagangtou Town.

Kovaleva Marina， a language teacher with Zhejiang Foreign Languages Institute，was deeply impressed with Zhoushan Archipelago， a string of pearls in East China Sea. The islands have been transforming tremendously in recently years since Zhoushan became a key free-trade zone. Gigantic construction sites are everywhere. With Shanghai and Hangzhou at its back，the islands are transforming into the next big engine of the economic growth for the province and a huge base for international trade. She also took interest in local culture. The experts visited a village restaurant and got invited to see an art exhibition staged by a village artist named Zhang Gaojun. Some were fascinated by a puppet show， a traditional entertainment popular in Zhoushan.

The year 2016 not only marks the G20 Summit in Hangzhou but also celebrates the 20th anniversary of the launching of West Lake Friendship Awards. The summit highlights the connection Zhejiang makes with the world and the foreign friends working and living in Zhejiang are envoys who help Zhejiang connect with the world.

Imran Haider Shamsi， a Pakistani， who is now an associate professor with Zhejiang University， has been in China for 15 years and considers Hangzhou his second home. A scholar of agriculture， he receives full support and trust of the university. He and his colleagues have done remarkably in research work. And a lot of their research results have been put to practice and yielded economic benefts. His career has taken off in Hangzhou.

“The tour is meant to express our gratitude to foreign experts for their dedication and support. They come all the way to our province and help us with their knowledge，wisdom， and dedication. We in Zhejiang are internally indebted. Our international friends often comment that Zhejiang is lovely but regretfully they can't find time to take a good look around. This time they have an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature and everyday life people live across the province，” explains Lai Yingjie， vice director of the publicity department of the CPC Zhejiang Committee.