CHINA TRIP REPORT: WRITE TO CHINA 2017
By: Alfin Zulfikar Rizky
April 18, 2017
In March 2017, I participated a competition that was held by Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), called “Write to China 2017”. I joined the competition by submitting my paper titled China’s Public Diplomacy in Facing Anti-Chinese Sentiments. I received an email from Write to China team that I was included in the list of twenty winners after weeks later. I was very grateful for my paper to be considered as one of the best papers in the competition. It could be a great opportunity to go to China, for this is my first time to go to China and my first time to be in part of an inter-youth activity between countries.
As I wrote and focused more on Public Diplomacy (PD) in my paper, I also know this trip was part of China’s PD in fostering mutual understanding between Indonesia and China, especially the youth. I felt honored because I was given the chance to be one of PD agents between Indonesia and China. In terms of PD between China and Indonesia, I expected that the trip could build more social contacts between Indonesian people and Chinese people. In social identity theories, social demarcations between societies divide us into social categories. These categories make us to be unwilling to know each other. By this kind of diplomacy which was held by the Embassy of China in Indonesia, social contacts could be built between Indonesian and Chinese youth. Social contacts cultivate each social category’s will to be in part of inter-communications and make them understand each other more.
On April 10, 2017, I went to Jakarta to meet my fellow Indonesian PD agents, FPCI officials, and Mr. Yin Siyan of China’s Embassy in Indonesia. On the next morning, the Indonesian PD agents went to Xiamen, Fujian, China and arrived in Xiamen at 14.00 PM (local time). Soon after we finished the baggage claim, we were welcomed and greeted by our Chinese PD partners. Later, we met and got to know each other in Huaqiao University. The first several Chinese students I knew are Howard, Richard, Chris, Gordon, Daisy, Gloria, and Minnie. I had a conversation with Howard on the bus while we were heading to Huaqiao University and with Richard in the Huaqiao University. I learned that both of them are students from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. I had a group conversation with Chris, Gordon, Daisy, Gloria, and Minnie-students of Huaqiao University–when I met them at the hotel lobby. We were grouped as the Group No. 1 on the next day–together with my fellow Indonesian students: Albert Au, Aditria Dewi (Ewi), Faiz Adani, and Cecep Hermawan. Chris, Gordon, Gloria, Minnie, and Daisy would be my closest Chinese friend during this trip.
On April 12, 2017, we attended a Chinese language class in Huaqiao University and visited an exhibition of Southeast Asian countries in Huaqiao University (Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, 2017). We were also greeted by Indonesian students who study in Xiamen. We also visited a Xiamen shipping terminal and learned that the terminal had projects to build in the future. This increased our knowledge by knowing that China had projects on maritime transportations and infrastructures. In the next hours, we went to Gulangyu Island, which is a tourist attraction in Xiamen. Chris–one of Huaqiao University students–told me that the island was once used by foreign governments–United States of America, United Kingdom, Spain, etc–to build their consulates in Xiamen. However, it is now fully owned by the Chinese government and used as tourist cultural attraction.
On April 13, 2017, we visited Xiamen University. We were welcomed by the Xiamen University and provided some information about their university. We also met an Indonesian student who study in International Relations master program in Xiamen University. In the next hours, we left for Quanzhou, Fujian, China. In Quanzhou, we visited Quanzhou Islamic Culture Exhibit and learned that Quanzhou had a long history with Muslims. This was caused by trade relations that is built through Maritime Silk Road between Chinese and Muslims in the past. As Quanzhou had Islamic history, we learned that we had a commonality between our societies¾both are connected to the Islamic world by the Maritime Silk Road. We also visited Qingjing (or Ashab) Mosque in Quanzhou.
On April 14, 2017, we went to Jinjiang and visited a traditional neighborhood in Jinjiang (Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, 2017). It is called Wudianshi. In Wudianshi, we learned more about Chinese culture and values. When we went inside a traditional house in Wudianshi, there were a small window put on the upper side of a room. We were told that it was meant to be the place where the girl could see her husband-to-be while the husband-to-be were proposing a marriage to the girl’s family. It is quite similar with Indonesian traditional marriage values¾which a marriage should be fully approved by the parents. We also visited a company¾named 361 Degrees¾that produces sport products. The company provided its employees’ needs¾such as entertainment, psychological counseling, fitness center, dormitories, etc. This showed us that this Chinese company cares about their employees’ welfare. In the next hours, we visited an art park¾called Maritime Silk Road Art Park-Asia. It is an art park that has Maritime Silk Road history reflected in forms of art. After we visited the park, we went to Putian and spent a night in Putian.
On April 15, 2017, we visited Meizhou Bay where a specific belief in Confucianism pray and hold religious events. After we visited the place, we went to Wuyishan by a high-speed train. During the ride, Mr. Yin Siyan explained that an Indonesian company and a Chinese company signed an agreement to establish a new company in Indonesia, called Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China. This new company are projected to have a project in building Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train facilities and infrastructures in Indonesia. In Wuyishan, we watched a show¾titled Impression Da Hong Pao Show, which the audiences’ seats rotated to follow the show that used buildings around as the stage. Mr. James of Fujian Foreign Affairs explained that the show told story about tea culture in China. On the next day, we visited and enjoyed the beautiful sceneries of Wuyi Mountains in Nine-Bend (Jiuqu) Stream and Tianyou Peak. We also learned about types of tea and the right ways to drink Chinese tea in a place of tea production in Wuyishan.
On April 17, 2017, we went to Fuzhou by a high-speed train. In Fuzhou, we visited a youth community, called You+ Community. It is a youth entrepreneurship community that provides a working space for youth to grow their entrepreneur skills and start-ups. My hometown in Indonesia, Surabaya, also have one similar working space in Spazio Building. I think these youth activities could give contributions for economic developments and world peace by building more connections between young people. In the next hours, we attended a seminar on by Fujian Foreign Affairs on 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, 2017). In this seminar, we learned that Chinese government has visions to build more maritime connections between countries, inspired by the Maritime Silk Road in the past. China has been building port and maritime infrastructres and has been doing agreements with other countries to realize its vision of 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
On April 18, 2017, we visited the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University and Juncao Research Center in the university. The Chinese students of this university hosted us and took us for a walk around the forest-like area. In the Juncao Research Center, we were provided explanations about the researches on mushroom cultivations with juncao grass as the media. Juncao Research Center also had done agreements with foreign governments to increase the benefits of juncao grass in other countries; which are: (1) Fiji; (2) Guyana; (3) Zulu, South Africa; (4) Papua New Guinea; (5) Cambodia; and (6) Tanzania. In the next hours, we visited Fujian Normal University. We were welcomed and provided explanations on the long history between Indonesian people and people of Fujian. Most of Chinese-Indonesians are Fujian diasporas. There were also expeditions to Malay Archipelago (now Indonesia) by a Chinese-Muslim Zhang He (or Cheng Ho) in the ancient times. In the evening, we had a farewell banquet with Fujian Government and did a performance together with the Chinese students.
Conclusion and Observation
During this trip, I was grateful to know more about China, especially Fujian. I found Fujian as an interesting place of unique and different culture. Although we have cultural differences, we still have similarities and commonalities in terms of culture. Chinese-Indonesians, which are Fujian diasporas, has been influencing Indonesian culture for centuries. We can see these cultural similarities many aspects because Fujian diasporas also brought their culture and values to Indonesia with them. We also have common history in terms of trade connections in the past and how Islam influenced religious life in both Indonesia and Fujian through the Maritime Silk Road. I also found Quanzhou as the most interesting city in Fujian because of its Islamic history.
Because of these commonalities, Indonesia and China should increase the opportunity for cooperation between both countries. Indonesia and China should resonate their visions of maritime connections in Asian region. This kind of cooperation could boost trade and economic development in the Asian region, especially maritime trade. Indonesia and China could also increase the opportunity for cooperation in terms of East Asian Islamic culture and studies, especially Xinjiang and Fujian (Quanzhou) government and universities. The researches on East Asian Islamic culture could give more knowledge to both countries and foster mutual understanding and commonalities between two different nations.
Reference:
Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, 2017. Handbook for the Visit in Fujian for The Joint Delegation from China and Indonesia. Fuzhou: Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office.
