Programme: SH-HK-Macao University Flight Carnival
Partner Institution: Fudan University
Period: July 28 - August 1, 2019
I recall reading about the Wright brothers’ first attempt in flying, and how impressed I was with mankind’s determination back in primary school. Therefore, what impressed me the most throughout the trip is how China is able to persevere in their quest towards building their own aircrafts despite developing aeronautical technology a lot later than western countries. There is also much more aeronautical engineering talent than I first thought as there are a lot of universities that engage in this area of research, especially Fudan University (the organizer of this programme). The domestically produced C919 aircraft operates just like other aircrafts purchased from overseas countries. Since the cost of buying aircrafts from overseas is much more expensive than producing locally, I believe placing emphasis on the development of aircrafts is a reasonable move as part of building the Chinese dream. It is also wise for the government to be in charge of such projects as it is a heavy industry with high risks. I will pay attention to the future development of aeronautics as there is a new cooperation opportunity that arose recently between China and Russia in building aircraft C929.
Apart from manufacturing domestic airplanes, I found the visit to a vehicle assembly plant very interesting as well. The plant was operated mainly by machines that seem to work seamlessly and with high accuracy. This greatly increased the efficiency and accuracy of manufacturing work, which allows the factory to have a daily output of 400 vehicles. This is a very impressive statistic and I believe the number will only continue to increase as technology improves over time.
I found the programme enjoyable as there was a good balance between technical lectures and timeslots for participants to explore Shanghai, which is also essential in building a comprehensive image of Mainland China and Shanghai. After this programme, I am surprised at how developed China’s technology is. It is not a joke when people say that Hong Kong should be more alert as development of different cities in Mainland China, such as Shanghai, is starting to catch up with that of Hong Kong. From my observation, Shanghai has all the infrastructure and resources to become the main financial centre for China in the future. At the same time, Shanghai has a more diversified economic environment which makes it even more competitive. I look forward to joining more programmes organized by China Vision and visiting different places in Mainland China.
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