杂志汇人民画报（英文版）

Text by Laurent Hou

Studying China’s Development

The city of Shangluo and its surrounding villages received a visit from students of the International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) program at Beijing Normal University. Most of these students are civil servants from other developing countries who came to China to study its development modes. The hope is that their studies of China help them contribute to the economic and social situation in their home countries. Nuredine Oumer Mohammed from Ethiopia put it this way: “China experienced decades of very fast economic growth that made it one of the most advanced developing countries. Therefore, there are many things we can learn here. We’re seeing Chinese workers and technology transfers from China in Ethiopia, so I really wanted to experience this country directly.”

The program is composed of students from more than twenty countries at various development levels. They all have a unique point of view on China and were excited to explore a place like Shangluo, which is incredibly different from Beijing where they spent most of their time. They had only experienced one of the most developed places of the country: According to HDI (Human Development Index) statistics, Beijing’s residents are comparable to the Swiss. Shangluo presented a new and interesting situation for the students: They could visit poor villages, but also see how an area developed tremendously over twenty years resulting in strong infrastructure and industrialization. They could also see that some challenges remain and witness the government’s efforts to meet them.