by Ellen Wanjiru
Head of TV Editorial Content of Mediamax Network Ltd, News Editor, Kenya
Like many people around the world, Chinese food is one of my favorites. Understandably, the Chinese may not recognize the food we call Chinese Food! It is likely that the chefs in Nairobi or any other Kenyan city or town where Chinese food is made and sold, have tweaked the recipes to suit local palates.
Nevertheless, this is one of the more familiar things identified with China.
In Kenya, China is also known for its products, imported and sold widely in the towns and cities. More popular are the mobile phones, children’s toys, electronics, houseware, etc
However, with all my experience in media and travels in parts of the world, I realize that the only Chinese I have ever personally met in my entire life, is the owner of my favorite Chinese Restaurant in Nairobi.
I have seen some Chinese in movies and on TV and I may have seen some in the various places I have visited, but at a personal level, I don’t know any Chinese.
What I know of China is largely made of up content online.
The People’s Republic of China, with more than 1.4 billion people. The second most populous country in the world, after India.
Beijing, the capital, Hong Kong and Shanghai are the most known cities in China which is divided into 34 province level divisions.
A cradle of industrialization and a global economic hub, China is also rich in history and culture. Chinese music, food, language, even movies, products etc have earned a name, respect and a place in the global space.
Industrially, China’s strength lies in Manufacturing, Retail, Mining, Steel, Textiles, Automobiles, Green Energy, Banking, Electronics, Telecommunications, Real Estate, E-commerce and Tourism.
Chinese work ethic is a model for the rest of the world and the people are known for their hard work as for the results and achievements.
With one of the foremost economic powers in the world, China has three of the ten largest stock exchanges in the world. These are Shanghai, Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
China is a member of the World Trade Organization and is the world’s largest trading power.
In Infrastructure, China has produced world leading projects. In my country Kenya, China is credited with the construction of the country’s first ever Super Highway – Thika Superhighway and the region’s first SGR – Standard Gauge Railway from the capital Nairobi to the coastal city of Mombasa. SGR reduced rail travel time between the two cities from a minimum of 14 hours to 5 hours.
China also constructed Kenya’s first Expressway – Nairobi Expressway.
My first understanding of China may be limited but what I do know, has influenced by perception of a country that in my mind, is grand – not just in size, but stature, its people, its achievements, its capacity and position in the global space.
*The views and opinions expressed in the articles are solely those of the individual authors and do not reflect the position of the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Journalist Network.