On October 18th, a sunny autumn day, 23 overseas students from 9 countries studying at China Three Gorges University paid a visit to several factories in Yichang, in which they saw the tremendous changes accompanying the rapid development of Yichang and experienced the unique charm of their "second hometown".
At 8 o'clock in the morning, 23 overseas students, full of joy,set off from the International Students Apartment of China Three Gorges University to start their journey by bus, through the south gate of the university, via the Chengdong Avenue, towards the Yichang High-tech Zone.Along the way foreign students took pictures of the flyovers, the high buildings, the wide roads and the lushtrees through the windows of the bus with their mobile phones.
These overseas students from 9 countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Zambia, Liberia, Nepal, Myanmar and Zimbabwe are studying at different colleges of China Three Gorges University. Although some of them have been staying in Yichang for a long time, they had very little knowledge of the exact state of the development of Yichang before. "It’s such a good opportunity for us to pay a visit to it!" Thanks to this trip organized by the International Cultural Exchange College of China Three Gorges University, they had the opportunity to witness the development of Yichang.
Their first destination was Yichang Humanwell Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a national key high-tech enterprise and a leading enterprise of China's narcotics production industry. The company owns five R&D institutions in China, the United States, and Switzerland and so on, and has more than 100 patents. Its products are exported to 22 different countries. All the overseas students have shown strong interest in such an international enterprise. After listening to the company introduction, Darious Kent Joboe from Liberia, who is currently studying at the College of Biology and Pharmaceuticals,went to consult Zhong Lijun, vice president of the company about what he concerned. “This enterprise is closely associated with what I’m studying, and I really look forward to visiting it again."
Not long ago, the China Three Gorges University signed an agreement with Parsons Music to build an education base of China’s national conditions and cultures. All the students have been longing to visit Parsons Music Group for a very long time, and of course they all were overjoyed by this visit. The "Yangtze River"pianos produced here are shipped to all over the world. Parsons Music Group ranks the third in the world in terms of piano production and sales, and Yichang has set the goal of constructit into a piano production base ranking first in China as well as a world-class brand. Theoverseas students made a close observation of the modern production line, and even tried to play the pianos. Sambadana Kafle from Nepal took several selfies in front of the old pianos with her female friends.
Then the bus took the students to the Yichang Planning Exhibition Hall on the northern side of Bailinhe Road via Xiazhou Avenue. “Witnessing”the past and the present of Yichang exhibited in the hall, they experienced a close observation of the city through the “Time Tunnel”, the "ecological city" in the "interactive theater", "experience space"and so on. Pointing to the pictures showing on the LCD screen, Md Salequar Rahaman Masum from Bangladesh said in excitement:“I have been there. It is very lively and prosperous. What a development!"
During their visit, the students shared what they saw and what they were told about the development of Yichang with their friends and families by posting pictures on the internet, and Yichang won praises from all over the world. Roy Dwipayan from Bangladesh said: "I know that this year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. In the past 40 years, China has made great achievements and established good relations with various countries. During this period, Yichang has also undergone great changes. I’m definitely impressed!"(Reporter Mei Yunxiong and Trainee reporter Fu Jiangshan)