Sydney Campus Economics lecturer takes first-hand look at booming China
Published on 10 March, 2011
Sydney Campus Economics lecturer Dr Chris Keane took the opportunity to spend a month travelling in the Peoples Republic of China late last year.
During his trip he visited the cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and the special economic zone of Shenzhen.
Dr Chris Keane in China with MBA graduate Jing Gao
It was Dr Keane's first visit to Shanghai - a gargantuan city of over 20 million people which hosted the very popular 2010 World Expo.
"Anyone teaching business courses to international students in the Asia Pacific region should see at first-hand the amazing economic transformation underway in China. I was impressed by Shanghai's rapid transportation system and the super fast Maglev train connecting Pudong Airport to the city was a blast," Dr Keane remarked.
China is an important source of international students and educational export income for the Australian economy. However, the United States has begun to open up its door to more international students. In 2009-10 China replaced India as the largest source of foreign students entering the United States.
"The United States has become a very attractive destination for Chinese undergraduate students, given the low US dollar and more flexible visa regime," Dr Keane said. "China is also expanding its own education infrastructure and partnering with foreign universities in an effort to meet domestic student demand. I had the opportunity to visit some of these institutions with expatriate friends in Souzhou."
After a brief trip by overnight train to Bejing, Dr Keane returned to the ‘economic miracle' of Shenzhen, situated adjacent to Hong Kong. Here he met up with Jing Gao, an MBA graduate of CQUniversity who is employed as Procurement Manager with Allpak Shenzhen Co.
"Jing and her parents were delighted to meet with me. I was given a guided tour of Shenzhen's ‘economic miracle', and told that the Special Economic Zone is home to more millionaires than any other part of China. Jing attributed her good fortune to the economic reforms begun by the late Premier Deng Xiaoping.
"After posing in front of a sculpture of the great reformer, we all had lunch at a famous restaurant noted for its surly waiters, hot spicy food and the late Chairman Mao's patronage. Next day a fast boat from Shenzhen harbour saw me disembark in Hong Kong, concluding what was a most memorable and educational journey."