US public policy school students learn about city's success
A group of students from a top US public policy school visited Shanghai on Friday.
Students from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago visited the Shanghai People's Congress Standing Committee to learn about China's legislation and policy making. They also visited the Yuyuan Garden and the Bund afterwards.
The student delegation's visit to China is a positive response to President Xi Jinping's initiative last year to invite 50,000 US youths to China over the next five years for exchange and study. This China trip not only includes Shanghai but also Beijing and Xi'an.
As a globally recognized university, the University of Chicago boasts more than 100 Nobel Prize winners, and the Harris School is the top public policy school in the US.
The students visit an exhibition.
During the visit, the students learned about the history and development of Shanghai, as well as the function of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai People's Congress.
After the introduction, they asked questions about the secret of Shanghai's development, the ways Shanghai attracts global talented personnel, is developing a green economy, as well as how it promotes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Chen Jing, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai People's Congress and chairman of the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Huang Hong, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Shanghai People's Congress, answered their questions.
In response to the question of how Shanghai should respond to climate change, Chen said: "Shanghai attaches great importance to sustainable development. The Shanghai People's Congress has passed relevant regulations on the management of domestic waste after public suggestions, which largely promoted the reduction of domestic garbage as well as the recycling of resources".
Meanwhile, Shanghai is already the largest city in China in terms of new-energy vehicle production, according to Chen.
In response to a question from a student from Africa about the promotion of foreign trade, Huang mentioned the China International Import Expo.
"Many African countries have brought their goods to China via this platform in the past years," Huang said.
"Chinese and African entrepreneurs have been communicating at the venue of the Expo, with African products being welcomed in China. I expect to see more overseas enterprises participate in the CIIE in Shanghai."
Visitors ask questions.
Wagar Abbas from Pakistan was impressed.
"Shanghai's economic and social development is so fast," Abbas said. "I am amazed by the results achieved in investment, trade, and large-scale infrastructure construction."
Anand Pradeep, from India, added: "Such a frank dialog is very rewarding. I learned the reasons behind the success of Shanghai's economic development, which would help me with my public policy research".
Abbas hoped that such exchanges would not only take place between China and the United States, but also between China and Latin America, and China and the Middle East in the future.
Julene Landaburu from Mexico wished her visit to China could have been longer.
"I enjoyed my stay here very much," she said. "I want to come back."
Shot by Shen Mengdan. Edited by Shen Mengdan. Subtitles by Shen Mengdan.
Mexican Julene Landaburu talked about her first impression of China and her opinion on international relationships.
