Observing China Through STEER
STEER China 2012
China is now the East Asian powerhouse, and is predicted to contribute about one‐ third of the world’s industrial output by 2025. STEER China 2012 presents a great opportunity for us to learn more about China’s rapid development and growth, especially in the central‐western cities of Chongqing, Xi’an and Chengdu. In addition, it also offers cultural immersion, social exposure and a variety of learning opportunities. Simply put, STEER China is a programme not to be missed. The programme is offered by the NUS Office of Vice‐President (University and Global Relations). Before we took off for China, there was a preparatory programme to equip us with the relevant background knowledge. The pre‐trip briefings on contemporary China were very informative as they gave us some insights into the culture and norms of the Chinese people, the regulation of the media and the political development in China.
China is now the East Asian powerhouse, and is predicted to contribute about one‐ third of the world’s industrial output by 2025. STEER China 2012 presents a great opportunity for us to learn more about China’s rapid development and growth, especially in the central‐western cities of Chongqing, Xi’an and Chengdu. In addition, it also offers cultural immersion, social exposure and a variety of learning opportunities. Simply put, STEER China is a programme not to be missed. The programme is offered by the NUS Office of Vice‐President (University and Global Relations). Before we took off for China, there was a preparatory programme to equip us with the relevant background knowledge. The pre‐trip briefings on contemporary China were very informative as they gave us some insights into the culture and norms of the Chinese people, the regulation of the media and the political development in China.
Touring Vanke in Chengdu
In China, we visited some large
companies. Vanke is a top real
estate developer in China. It
invests a lot of effort in research
on their client base,
understanding and catering to
their needs. We visited Vanke in
Chongqing, Xi’an and Chengdu,
and learnt how they adopted
different strategies to better
meet the needs of the local
market.
We also visited Vivocity in Xi’an,
a large scale integrated
development project by
Mapletree, to understand how
designs of shopping malls affect
human flow and business.
Visiting Vivocity in Xi'an
At Molex Interconnector in Chengdu, we learnt about their corporate culture, and
how they establish their competitive advantage through product and process
development. Changhong Electronics in Mianyang is the top ranking electronics
company in Western China. We were given a tour of their newest innovations and
were very much awed by the cool high‐technological gadgets which can perform a
dazzling array of functions. The visit to the Chengdu Planning Exhibition Centre also
enabled us to appreciate both urban and rural planning concepts.
Prior to this trip, as a Science student, I had little knowledge of real estate, and
project facilitation and management. However, at the end of this programme, I have
gained a lot of useful knowledge related to these fields. The various networking
sessions offered good opportunities to learn more about the companies and their
working culture. The contacts that we have built over these two weeks would be
useful if we decide to venture into China for work.
Learning how production plants are managed
at
Molex Interconnectors
Learning about planning concepts at Chengdu
Planning Exhibition Centre
On the cultural front, visits to
the Terra Cotta Army Museum,
Huaqing Hot Spring Resort,
Xi’an Ancient City Wall and The
Scholar’s Street (书院门) gave
us invaluable glimpses into the
rich heritage and history of
China. These visits were truly
enjoyable and memorable. The
best highlight of the trip,
however, must be the visit to
the Chengdu Giant Panda
Breeding and Research Centre.
Seeing the cute, cuddly, black
and white mascots of China up
close is truly gratifying. The
playful antics of the baby
pandas were really a joyful
sight to behold and the red
pandas were just as beautiful
with their lush coat of fiery red
fur and raccoon‐like features
From this trip, I have definitely
learnt a lot more about the
lifestyle, habits and norms of
the Chinese. Although we had
little interaction with the
locals, the visits to the
universities offered great
At Huaqing Hot Spring Resort
opportunities for exchanging
information on the lives of the
local students and education in
China, allowing us to better
understand them. The
students were really friendly
and enthusiastic, even offering
to bring us around the cities
the next time we visit them.
Weekend visits to Terra Cotta Warriors
Museum
Chengdu Pandas Research Base
All in all, this programme has definitely broadened my education and equipped me with a global
perspective. STEER is truly an experience not to be missed!
At a dinner talk by Lian He Zao Bao correspondent, Ms Gu Gonglei, an FASS alumnus
Article by Lim Xiu Jing (Faculty of Science)
Photo by Koh Chin Yee
