Sydney Williams was on her second visit to the Chinese mainland, taking in the big changes that have occurred since her first trip here. She told Beijing Review she felt the country was “much more international and convenient” now.      

A student at Harvard Business School (HBS) in Boston, Massachusetts, Williams was part of a group of 140 HBS peers on a five-day trip to Beijing starting on May 4. The itinerary included visits to iconic attractions like the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, which housed the imperial palace form the 15th to 20th century, the Great Wall, Beihai Park, the Summer Palace, and Guozijian (the former imperial college located on downtown Beijing’s eponymous street).     

This year’s trip was organized by Jamie Gong and Jack Yan, two second- year Chinese students at HBS, who designed the itinerary, handled all the travel arrangements, and communicated with partners on both sides.  

“Harvard students traveling to China has been a school tradition for many years, but the trip got suspended four years ago until recently because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Yan told Beijing Review, adding that his classmates were all thrilled to finally set foot on Chinese soil. 

"We’ve visited other classmates’ countries on previous trips, and I’m so glad we got the opportunity to introduce them to China at last,” Gong told Beijing Review. “I believe that it is better for them to see and experience China with their own eyes, rather than forming an opinion based on hearsay and media stereotypes.” 

“The HBS students come from different cultural backgrounds and by visiting other classmates’ countries, we get to better understand their culture,” Yan explained. “I think this trip will enhance our classmates’ understanding of the Chinese culture and people.”   

Students from Harvard Business School visit the Palace Museum in Beijing on May 8 (WEI YAO) 

At long last 

Yan went on to explain that one of the main objectives of the trip was to foster friendships between young people from China and the U.S., aligning with the latest cultural exchange initiatives between the two countries. 

During his visit to San Francisco, California, last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China’s plan to invite 50,000 American youths to China for exchange and study programs over the next five years. This initiative is part of broader efforts to expand bilateral exchanges in education, youth, culture, sports and business, as agreed upon by Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden.   

Yan noted their journey to China had unfolded without a hitch and benefited from the recent interactions between the two nations, along with the supportive policies that were subsequently implemented. 

“The Chinese embassy in New York assisted us with our visa matters, which expedited our trip,” he explained. “Some Chinese apps, like Didi [a leading online ride-hailing service], offered English versions. These kinds of [internationally-oriented] apps can be really attractive to many first-time visitors.” 

In terms of further steps to attract international visitors, Gong and Yan believed that Beijing can do better when it comes to language environment and medical care for foreign visitors, based on their experiences. 

“I suggest restaurants provide more detailed menus and list the ingredients, in case the international visitors have allergies. And hospitals should store more medicines that foreigners are accustomed to taking,” Gong said. 

“Some staff at major attractions and public facilities need to improve their English skills; that would make many people’s visits much more convenient,” Yan said. 

To bring the trip to fruition, Gong and Yan meticulously outlined the itinerary. 

“Our trip covered many places or attractions with rich cultural connotation and of worldwide fame,” Gong said. “Many of our classmates are interested in China’s history and culture, and I think the places we selected best spoke for our culture.” 

“I really enjoyed visiting the Forbidden City, I was overwhelmed by its beauty, and the stories told by our tour guide were fascinating indeed,” HBS student Erik Rasmussen told Beijing Review, adding that he was already planning to visit other cities in China.   

More than sightseeing 

The trip also involved visits to China’s large enterprises that are featured as cases in Harvard’s business courses. “We studied the cases of Haidilao, a Chinese hotpot chain, as well as Didi, [tech titan] Tencent and NIO, the new-energy vehicle giant,” Yan shared.  

“Some of our classmates are seeking business opportunities in China, and these tours to internationally acknowledged Chinese enterprises can help our classmates with their understanding of China’s market and business environment, giving them ‘far-sightedness’ for their future endeavors,” Gong said.  

In China, new-energy vehicles refer to vehicles completely or mainly driven by new energy sources, including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. 

“A lunch at Haidilao was part of our trip and we immersed ourselves in the ‘whole-package’ service Haidilao offers.” 

Hotpot involves a simmering pot of soup stock placed at the center of the dining table, with raw ingredients such as thinly sliced meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu and noodles placed around it. Diners then cook these ingredients in the hot broth and customize their own dipping sauces to accompany the cooked food. 

Haidilao is renowned for its considerate and comprehensive service. On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, customers post videos showcasing selections of seasonings and soup stocks, cozy communal dining experiences, enthusiastic staff performing the latest viral quirky dances, and more.  

And the hashtag “Haidilao” is a piping-hot one on Chinese social media, with each post often raking in thousands of likes. 

Students from Harvard Business School learn to make dumplings in Beijing on May 8 (WEI YAO)  

“I’ve had hotpot in U.S.--from other brands,” Rasmussen said. “Hotpot is one of the most popular Chinese foods in the U.S, and I’ve always wanted to try hotpot in China. I’m a vegetarian; I think it’s amazing how vegetarian diets can taste so good in hotpot.” 

The HBS students not only enjoyed Chinese food, but even tried their hands at actually making some.  

On May 8, day four of their trip, they visited a local Beijing family residing in the hutongs, the capital city’s typical narrow alleyways, where their hostess taught them how to make dumplings from scratch.    

Each student was given a slap of dough and a rolling pin, a wooden stick to shape the dough, and a plate of stuffing.     

After 20 minutes of struggling, an Indian student at HBS who goes by her first name Sunnanda, deemed the outcome of her third attempt at crafting the dumplings “good enough.”    

“I’m no stranger to Chinese dumplings--as far as eating is concerned,” she said, adding this was her first time trying to make the Chinese food herself.    

“The first dumpling came out a bit misshapen, but I’m getting better at it and I’m happy enough with the second one and the third one. I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to try my hand at another Chinese dish,” she added.   

On May 9, the group was invited to Tsinghua University for a closed-door seminar about the potential of China’s economic development, the future of communication and cultural exchange between Chinese and U.S. youth, as well as the comparison of business education between the two schools, followed by a campus tour guided by Tsinghua students.    

Tommy He, host of the seminar and the tour guide, very much enjoyed communicating with the HBS students and extended an invitation to students all over the world.   

Tsinghua University student Tommy He (right) gives HBS students a tour of the Tsinghua campus on May 9 (WEI YAO)  

“Many of the HBS students told me how amazed they were by the history and beauty of our campus,” He told Beijing Review. “And for those considering visiting or studying in China, Tsinghua is definitely one of the best options. We offer courses in English with first-rate teaching quality, as well as many facilities and procedures benefiting and catering to the needs of international students. They will be more than welcome here.”   

“It was great talking to Tsinghua students at the seminar,” Rasmussen said. “Many questions were asked and answered. I thought it was a great opportunity for us to learn from each other, and it would be nice to see our nations form more bonds and friendships, just like we did here today.”   

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon  

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