by Adeiza Momohjimoh
General Manager and Deputy Director News of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, PRIME FM 101.5 LOKOJA, Nigeria
An African adage says “seeing is believing”. This simply translated, means that you can’t doubt what you’ve seen or had practical experience of.
The 2024 Belt and Road Journalists Forum held in Chongqing, China has therefore provided a practical insights into the humongous transformation of China thereby making it look like a New China.
From technology, science, preservation of the ecosystem to farming, my experience in Chongqing which I believe is a fair representation of the happenings in other regions of the country made China a country to beat in terms of development.
My experience is indeed one of my memorable exploits as far my existence on earth and practice as a journalist is concerned. And I believe, it’s same with other journalists from across the world that participated in this year’s forum.
I’m therefore eternal grateful to All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) for the opportunity to have a feel of what seemed imaginary to me on the TV screens each time I had the time to watch exploits of the Chinese in science and Technology.
That the Chinese people are hospitable is an understatement. From the airport in Chongqing to our hotel at Wyndham Hotel, Chongqing, it was all royal reception.
The guided tour also revealed that China, despite her exploits and achievements is still a work in progress. The mountainous region of Chongqing has been successful subdued by the Chinese and put to serve the people and made liveable for them.
The rail transport system in China is undoubtedly one of the best in the world. The Chinese rail transportation is one that linked the economic hubs of Asia and Europe.
A visit to the China-Europe Railway Express in Chongqing and the boat Ride showing the rail linkages between China and major seaports in Europe and Asia was a testament to the fact that technology and commerce remained exclusive preserve of the Chinese for now.
Not done with how trains have been used to move cargoes and containers to ports in other continents, we were also given the opportunity of riding in a speed train that took us to Yunyang, a district in Chongqing.
The train coaches are beautiful and noiseless compared to what I know of train transport in Africa. African governments owe it a duty to their people to cash on the cooperation and trade agreements between them and China to modernise the train transport if the continent is desirous of moving forward.
While in Yunyang, the country’s deliberate policy of encouraging agriculture came to the fore. The smooth road networks to all the agrarian communities visited and other infrastructure like light and water to them must have accounted for the food sufficiency of the country despite her huge population.
Encouragement give to people to invest in agriculture is another plus for China in her quest to feed her teeming population. A visit to Chongqing Tongxin Modern Agriculture Company Limited, in WanZhou showed a heavy investment in agriculture by private farms holder due to the encouragement give by the government.
The chairman of the Agriculture Company, Lu Changkun after conducting the visiting Journalists round the farm where there was free harvesting and consumption of fruit grown at the farm by the journalists, Changkun told his visitors that he received support of about fifty percent of his multimillion RMB investment in his farms across the country from the government of China.
Such government encouragement for farmers will not only boost agricultural produce but will serve as encouragement to others to go into farming
Science and Technology are the major drivers of the world today. A visit to Chongqing High-Tech Zone revealed that the country China has a lot to offer her people and the entire world going forward. The Chinese scientists and technologists are not resting on their oars. My experience at the science hub showed clearly that China is a work in progress as far as technological breakthroughs are concerned.
The Director of Operations of Western Auto Network Company Limited, Yue Hongju who was one of the officials that conducted journalists round the facility which was said to be established only in 2022, shocked the visiting journalists with myriad of achievements and breakthroughs recorded in such a short period.
Of particular amazement to me was the unmanned vehicles project which has reached an advanced stage. The entire world can’t wait for too long to see this wonder of the Chinese scientists and technologists rolled out to advance the quality of lives of Chinese people and other peoples of the world.
When you talk of achievements, there are both tangible and intangible ones. Most cases, better attention are focused on the tangible because that is what people can see and possibly touch. There are cases where the intangibles are quite important. Though, might be regarded as intangible, the achievements of China in the area of security is one that is second to none. In the first place people have to feel secured before they can pursue other dreams.
From the city of Chongqing to other districts visited, the peace and the security of the areas speak volumes. No wonder, then people are able to pursue their dreams and achieve for themselves and their country.
The development, I saw in China is not a manner from heaven. It’s a product of conserted efforts, well planned and well executed economic blueprints that yielded results.
The transportation system and the infrastructure in it are perfect. The artistic and beautiful road networks in all the regions we traveled are amazing. Even roads to the country sides and farms are smooth and devoid of potholes as we used to know in Africa.
The Chinese engineers put their skills to test as the mountains are chopped to create tunnel roads that spanned several kilometers are through the mountains to link other areas.
Traveling on the roads that looked like tunnels inside the mountains was made pleasurable and less risky as the roads are heavily illuminated.
The above, suggest to us that China has long captured the problems of public power supply. These roads and other high rising buildings which of course are the common features of Chinese cities and even countrysides wouldn’t have been possible without adequate and all day power supply.
In the three hotels I have had the privilege of staying so far, my least floor number is 9, one 19 and the other 20. Every facility in these hotels is automated and needs electricity to operate. This goes to show why China can’t afford one minute power outage.
Certainly, China inspite of her achievements in all spheres of human endeavors so far, is still demonstrating that more progress can be achieved. It’s suffice to say that the rest of the world, Africa mostly need a lot to learn from the Chinese model.
*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.