The Beijing Center (TBC) is always pleased to welcome our friends from Escuela de Administración en Negocios para Graduados – Perú (School in Business Administration for Graduates – ESAN). Every semester, we are honored to receive visits from MBA students and graduates from all over Peru. On this trip, ESAN students started their first day bright and early, arriving promptly at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) where they attended lectures about Chinese history, business opportunities, economics, and investment along the Belt and Road.
We tailored the lectures to provide a broad view of business culture in China. The ESAN students were committed to asking the tough questions and diving deep into Chinese culture, always thirsty to learn. Some were particularly surprised at how omnipresent technology is in everyday life in China, a stark contrast to their home country.
However, their journey took an unexpected turn when they were granted an exclusive visit to JingDong Logistics Park, one of China’s largest e-commerce companies. Here, they gained unique insights into the technology used to handle millions of packages daily. As a major e-commerce platform in China that sells billions of products annually, they witnessed firsthand how Jingdong manages product demands and fulfills deliveries across vast and diverse territories within China.
The students were also invited to partake in a discussion at the Promperu Office with trade and tourism counselor Mr. Luis Miguel Cabello Arroyo, where they discussed several topics about trade between Peru and China. With 35 years of experience and an extraordinary sense of humor, he provided insights into the trade between Peru and China, answering questions posed by the students. Mr. Cabello also stated that in China, there is opportunity for all kinds of businesses, big and small. If you are a small entrepreneur, don’t be afraid to enter China- there is room for everyone. He discussed the communication channels in Peru and China, explaining how many social media platforms have been replaced by WeChat alone, how electronic payment methods are broadly used and preferred over cash, and how these facts shape the way of doing business in China. Some students were amazed at the speed of WeChat Pay, joking they were ready to move to China just for the tech! Mr. Cabello also talked about the trade balance between China and Peru, stating that Peru has a trade surplus.
We couldn’t let them leave without taking them to Beijing’s greatest cultural landmarks, so we visited Ti’anmen Square. Seeing the towering Monument to the People’s Heroes and strolling the Ti’ananmen concourse left everyone with a deep appreciation for the site that has so much historical significance in China. Later they toured the Forbidden City, and upon entering, they were drawn to people dressed in ancient costumes for photos. Besides the architecture and costumed visitors, they were captivated by the many events that occurred within the Forbidden City and the palaces’ many functions. While exploring, they learned about Chinese history and philosophy and their continued relevance in today’s culture, promoting a deep sense of respect for the rich history and culture of China.
By Laury Castro, TBC Intern
Over this past weekend, some of our students enrolled at Minzu University of China took their annual Spring Outing – this year, to Gubei Water Town. Situated about a 2-hour drive northeast of Beijing, the April weather made it absolutely perfect to explore for a spring outing. It surrounds various canals and offshoots of Yuanyang lake.
If you ever want to get a taste of Old Beijing, by far one of the best ways is to visit the hutongs. They’ve conceptually been around all the way since the 1200s, and in their most modern forms exist as protected alleyways and streets surrounded by old traditional houses and neighborhoods in the heart of Beijing and are recognized in China to be an important part of cultural heritage in the city.
My name is Jane Turner, and I’m a student from America- a second-year at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. Although I’m studying in the middle of America, I come from the very south, from a state called Louisiana.
My name is Panatsaya, a third-year student at Xavier Learning Community (XLC) / Saengtham College, Xavier Campus, Chiang Rai (SC-XCC), and I come from the Akha ethnic community. Questions of culture, identity, and belonging have never been abstract to me—they have always been part of my daily life.