China 02.09.2013 - 15.09.2013

China calls itself „Zhongguo“, the middle kingdom, a leading developing country, a responsible country to aim a „harmonious world“. The rest of the world calls China a new superpower behind the United States of the 21th century. The opinions about China are divided, trapped between fascination and suspicion.

So, what is happening inside China? What are the consequences of the rapid economic growth of China? How are the Chinese people different from “us” and from each other within China?

All these questions will be tackled throughout the study trip with IFIL. Meet diplomats, NGOs, scholars and other important decision makers. Discover China yourself and join us to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Guilin and area.

Shanghai and Hong Kong represent the new and modern China, a place for business, trade, cultural exchanges between the “East and West”. The biggest trade harbors in the world are located in Shanghai followed by Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Guangzhou incorporates the label „Made in China“, it accumulates the largest number of mass production factories in the world. Guilin and area is a city in the autonomous region of Guangxi -- home of 11 ethnicities out of 55 minorities living in China. Guilin and area offer breath taking scenic landscape. This special route enables you to discover yourself the contrast between modern and traditional China, deepen your knowledge about China’s fast economic growth and social problems, and understand the difference between the three provinces.

Apply now and join us to China. The group size is limited to 15 participants plus the organisers. Be the first to join us!

Goals & Highlights

The goal is to go beyond the surface of China but how? We arrange meetings with important people from all sectors:

Political and economic meetings:

• Exclusive Sino-Swiss Relationship Event with Swiss diplomats of the Consulate General of Switzerland and the China Business Hub and the representative of Swissnex Shanghai as speakers.
• Visit important local and Swiss companies in Shanghai and Hong Kong and explore one of the biggest trading port in the world
   

Social and cultural activities:

• Learn about the social issues within modern China with speakers from different NGOs dealing with poverty, migration, disabled students and homosexuality.
•  Learn about environmental politics, social instability and the new generation of Chinese within China through exclusive lectures held by professors and China experts of well-known universities such as Hong Kong University.
• Swiss-Chinese student exchange day
• Participate in different Chinese cultural workshops and learn about Chinese dialects, martial arts, cinema & literature.
• Explore the rural style of living of ethnic minority groups in Guilin and area.