Jinan, China’s Emerging Economic Powerhouse

For a better celebration of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Africa and China and the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese enjoyed many days of holiday. It was a chance for many to cut out in mammoth crowds into the four corners of China. But for leisure hungry workers who spent most of their time in meeting the absorbing demands of their careers, they spent the period in leisure parks and attractive sites. To some, it was an opportunity to get outside of the capital, Beijing, and gauge how Chinese elsewhere are feeling about their country. Yet to many, especially 39 foreign journalists from Africa including Cameroon, from Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, on the invitation of China Public Diplomacy Association, use the chance to get abreast with how China has climbed the rungs of economic development into a mega economy in less than half a century. They enjoyed a journey by highspeed train from Beijing to about 500 kilometres south to Jinan, the capital city of China’s third largest province, Shandong. Designated in 1991 as the location for high-tech and innovation, Jinan has by the current year 2019 become a giant economic hub in China. During its 48-hour stay there, the delegation savoured a guided tour of Smart City Operation Management Center which fosters China’s strength in cyberspace, General Auto Works Plant which produces heavy-duty trucks and Inspur, an IT company and a leading cloud computing and big data provider. Jinan has over 7 million inhabitants...