Fresh Insights of China – Like in the Movies

2025-01-14

by Tania Georgieva Glouhtcheva

Writer, Head of the International Department of DUMA Newspaper, Bulgaria

If I have to describe China in one word, that would definitely be – Wonderland. But even that won’t be enough because it’s just impossible to express all the things one sees, hears and experiences in this country. It is basically living like in the movies or a different reality and you just don’t want to go back to the real life you are familiar with.

As someone who has been to this great country three times in two years, I can say without any exaggeration that every time I wake up to a new surprise – whether it is technological, cultural, historical or just a new invention to make everyday life easier.

On the other hand, as someone involved in politics in one way or another, every time I go back to Bulgaria, I am so inspired to do things and change people’s life. Most of my coworkers don’t believe when I tell them about the perfect organization and how everything is possible when people share the same ideas and actually do something to make their dreams come true and not just wait for someone to take out the magic wand and turn the poor into rich.

I will remember my visit to Chongqing for several reasons. In first place because of the green plants everywhere in the city despite the warm weather – more than 40 degrees. This is very impressive because it is basically one of the greenest cities I have ever visited. In most places in Europe the flowers, grass and trees are just left to die, as the governments use the excuse that there is not enough water in the rivers and lakes. But at the same time they don’t seek any help from ecologists or ecological activists, who might give a solution to the problem, especially after visiting and seeing Chongqing.

Secondly, I was very happy to see the Buddha carvings in the mountains and to find out that they are so well conserved. In Bulgaria we also have carvings in some mountains – monasteries and historical leaders, but some of them will soon be closed for visitors as they are not that well protected. But here it was possible to see everything, learn the fascinating legends about the carvings and what’s even better – the walk was after seeing movies about them the previous evening at the museum, when all the international guests felt like part of the films.

In third place I will point out the visit to the village and not only taste the Chinese wine, see how the workers prepare everything, but also hear that the younger people return to their birthplace and work there. This is something more European politicians should hear and follow the example in order to find a way to show people that not only the capital or the big cities are good for living. This is a very serious problem Europe is facing – especially Eastern Europe, where more and more villages are abandoned and with them traditions are buried. I suppose that more young people, college or university graduates should get to know about this, especially those who plan to start a business. The countryside has many things to offer and the stressful life we have requires eating and drinking natural products among other things.

I liked as well that the place attracts tourists – there are hotels where you could enjoy the fresh air, the silence and the food that grows close to you. And the people who work there are always nice and smiley, ready to help if needed.

Last but not least I will always remember that during the 2024 Belt and Road Journalists Forum I had the honor to be elected Media ambassador. Not only was I the first person from Bulgaria, not only the first person from Europe, but with my colleagues from Egypt and Argentina we were the first ever to be Media ambassadors. This is a big responsibility as we have to pave the way for other international journalists. At a time when the fake news are everywhere and some people write whatever they are paid for, it is more than necessary to show that we won’t accept any wrongdoing with our work. People all around the world should now the truth and the only way to do that is to show them both sides of a story, or more sides, if there are more. Things are never only black or only white, there are so many other colors and shades. And as we say in Bulgaria – the truth is always somewhere in the middle.

If there is anything else to add – there are lots of things, but I have to point out the fact that so many young people are involved everywhere and the best thing is that they are volunteering, and not doing it for money. Because they are well aware that you can’t wake up one day and be a boss, you have to take all the steps, gain experience and then deserve to occupy an important work position. This is quite the opposite to the Western way of thinking where children are taught that money is the most important thing, and work should be done only if it is well-paid. This puts aside all the human values and creates robots.

Did I expect to see what I saw in Chongqing? Absolutely not. I have a new notebook full of impressions and ideas which I will try to make reality and I really hope that the Chinese experience will spread around the world and that more countries and international organizations will become part of the Belt and Road Initiative and more people have the feeling that they are living in the movies.

*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.