From August 18th to 23rd, a group of international journalists embarked on a media tour, "Watch China Together: A Journey to Harmony," to witness firsthand China's advancements in smart agriculture, green port development, and cultural cooperation under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) framework. The trip provides a powerful window into how China is actively sharing its expertise and fostering collaboration within the SCO and across the Global South.

Following the tour, host Bridget Mutambirwa sat down with two of her colleagues, Yasir Masood (a political and strategic affairs analyst from Pakistan) and Ehrard Vermaak (a news editor from South Africa), to reflect on their eye-opening experiences in Yangling, Xi'an, and Qingdao.

Yangling: The agricultural powerhouse

The journey began in Yangling, which surprised the delegates with its deep agricultural roots and modern innovation.

For Vermaak, the visit enabled him to understand China better. "Yangling was very, very clean, very organized... It showed me that Yangling is not just a small town. It has a long, long history of agriculture," he shared. He was particularly struck by the high-speed rail connectivity and the sheer quality of the produce, noting the "uniform" fields and "huge size of maize growth."

Masood focused on Yangling's role as a global hub for knowledge sharing. He highlighted that the SCO Agriculture Technology Exchange and Training Demonstration Base there "has brought around 96 institutions from 18 countries." Crucially, he noted, "This was not confined to SCO alone. Yangling... is extending its expertise to the rest of the world as well, for example, in Africa." He cited the example of Pakistan’s Prime Minister sending 1,000 students to China to gain agricultural expertise, calling them "ambassadors" who will contribute significantly to their home country's growth.

Xi'an: Reviving the Silk Road for a modern era

In Xi'an, the group visited the China Europe Railway Express assembly center, a key node in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For Masood, this was a direct revival of the historic Silk Road's legacy of sharing knowledge and culture.

He reflected on how ancient texts like Ibn Sina's "Canon of Medicine" traveled to Europe via these routes, transforming knowledge. His key takeaway from Xi'an was seeing "how peacefully the progress is being transformed" and shared with the world, "without any geostrategic or geopolitical strings attached."

Qingdao: Where global culture and commerce meet

The final stop in Qingdao left a lasting impression of warmth, hospitality, and international spirit.

Vermaak was captivated by the architecture of the SCO Exhibition Center, aptly named "The Pearl." "It's shaped like a massive, massive clamshell... So it's the Pearl because the goods inside being traded are the Pearl. And I thought that was very clever," he explained. He was pleasantly surprised to find top-quality South African wine and Rooibos tea on display, seeing it as a testament to the SCO's open-door policy for global markets.

Masood was amazed by Qingdao's automated port and its burgeoning film industry at the China Movie Metropolis. He saw the city as a perfect blend of preserved history and modern development. Visiting his country's booth at the exhibition center was a proud moment, showcasing Pakistan's culture and products to the world.

The takeaway: A connected chain of collaboration

Together, the delegates pieced together a comprehensive picture of China's outreach.

Vermaak appreciated how the tour illustrated the entire mechanism of cooperation: "They took us to agriculture. They showed us, OK, this is where the products come from... then how does it get moved to other places and with what efficiency."

Masood concluded by synthesizing the experience: "In Yangling, it was the agriculture; in Xi'an, it was the connectivity; and in Qingdao, it was the cultural. These three important components of SCO were thoroughly educated to us during this visit."

The guests agreed that the inspiration gained must now be turned into action, fostering deeper collaboration and mutual prosperity across the Global South.