The academic delegation of Indochina peninsula led by professor Wei Jingfu of Institute for China Neighboring Economies(ICNE) has successfully finished the three-week study tour to Cambodia, Thailand and Laos and returned to China successively on January 31, 2020. This academic exchange activity in winter vacation of 2020, funded by the project Academic Community of Teachers and Students initiated by the International Affairs Office of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology(USST), attracted more than 20 students from the two sessions of ICNE to sign up.Finally, 5 graduate students were selected.
The delegation, which took three weeks from January 11, 2020, took an L-shaped route to make a meaningful investigation into the economic and social conditions of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos.After entering Cambodia from the border of Phnom Penh, we continued to change buses, private minibuses, trains and even tricycle by land through Siem Reap, Bangkok, Rayong, Nong Kai and other cities to arrive in Vientiane (the capital of Laos) with a total journey of more than 1600 kilometers.
In Cambodia, we visited National Museum of Cambodia, Tusling Massacre Museum and Angkor Monuments in order to know Cambodia's history and culture. At the same time, we also paid a visit to the local chinese-funded enterprises and Chinese school experiencing a developing industrialization and surprised by the abundant labor resources and the scarcity of managerial talents caused by backward education. When we trudged to Thailand to visit the chinese-funded Rayong industrial park (Zhejiang Huali Group), we saw the busy construction scene and the booming chinese-funded companies and were thrilled that the belt and road initiative could bear fruit so quickly.The last stop of the study tour was Laos. We took a chinese-made night train from Bangkok all the way north to the Thai border city of Nong Khai, crossed the Mekong river and then transferred to tricycle to vientiane. Our academic exchanges with National University of Laos covered a wide range including economic growth, educational development and cultural exchanges between China and Laos.
Through the investigation of the three countries, we have a deeper understanding of the cultures and economies of the southeast Asian countries.The young Cambodians we met were eager to learn. Some high school students were doing social research under the hot sun to prepare for college. Others were trying to learn three foreign languages at the same time to get better job opportunities.Thailand's exquisite architecture, lively night markets, booming industrial parks and delicious tropical cuisine are just some of the places to linger.For Laos,a relatively economically backward country, we are also captivated by its unique Buddhist culture and its efforts to lift itself out of poverty as soon as possible.
During the 20-day tour, we realized the magnificent natural beauty of Angkor Monuments, experienced the worldly prosperity of Pattaya beach, enjoyed the scenery on both sides of the Mekong river and tasted Southeast Asia's diverse cuisine .We measured the three countries with our own feet. While we understood the contribution of Confucius institutes to spread Chinese culture, we were also struck by the scars left by the Khmer rouge's short history. Although the trip to the three countries is short, the experience of each day is totally different, which is an eye-opening survey and a cultural exchange. I believe this trip to southeast Asia will bring us a new understanding of our future life and study.
Reported by: Zhou Jiexing
Translated by: Yin Yixuan
Photoed by：Song Yunli
February 26, 2020
Annex to the investigation report of the members of the delegation：
1. Travel note of Indochina peninsula (I) Wei Jingfu
http://icne.usst.edu.cn/2020/0227/c5289a214837/page.htm
2. Survey report on southeast Asia（Zhang Dawei）http://icne.usst.edu.cn/2020/0224/c5289a214694/page.htm
3. Survey report on southeast Asia（Li Wei）http://icne.usst.edu.cn/2020/0224/c5289a214693/page.htm
4. The memory of Indochina peninsula （Peng Siyu）http://icne.usst.edu.cn/2020/0224/c5289a214691/page.htm
5. Travel note on southeast Asia（Zhou Jiexing）http://icne.usst.edu.cn/2020/0224/c5289a214689/page.htm
6. The tour impression of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos（Dong Chenchen）http://icne.usst.edu.cn/2020/0224/c5289a214687/page.htm
