By: Dwight Links
Five Namibian media and think tank representatives (including the author of this article) were part of an excursion to the Chinese province of Jiangxi.
The aim was to observe how rural development has improved the potential of economic activity for the local communities. In doing so, the cohort also explored the cultural tourism that was on display and surveyed the mechanisms and programs that have brought change to many in the province.
One of the photos is taken from the Tengwang Pavilion in central Nanchang (administrative capital of Jiangxi), which provides a striking contrast between modern city ambitions and the rich cultural history mostly seen on the internet or travel programs. The pavilion was constructed in 653 A.D. by the local governor and has been standing ever since.
Other photos highlight landmarks such as the Octagonal Building that the founding chairman of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Zedong, lived in during the formative years of the revolution. The Shenshan Village in the Jinggangshan mountains (revitalised by a visit from President Xi Jinping in 2016), and the battle field area of Huangyangjie can be seen in the remaining photos.
