I have the opportunity and privilege of bringing customers to China almost every trip I make. Many of these visitors are making their first trip to China or if they have visited previously they might only have seen a factory and a hotel. They come expecting a quick 2-4 day visit to my factory to inspect plastic tooling, silicone tooling, or a complete turn-key assembly that is being prepared for sale to Amazon.com. However, they often come away with much, much, more... Most visitors view the travel as a burden of work and an extended leave from family and friends. While we always work hard during these visits, I also consider it my obligation to reveal to every visitor I host a glimpse of the people, the history, the food and the culture that makes this a great place to visit (and even live).
Here are some of the impressions that visitors have shared with me over the years;
The People
The Chinese people you encounter at hotels, restaurants and tourist areas will be extremely gracious and friendly. They are proud of their country and want to make sure that visitors have a good time and are treated well when visiting. Outside of these areas, you might get some looks and stares, it is not uncommon for someone to walk right up to a really tall Westerner and just stare at them. While most people in the larger cities speak some English, they are generally reluctant to speak since they do not want to embarrass themselves.
The History
Unfortunately, the area around Shenzhen where my factory is located does not have a lot of history remaining. The area was actually mostly mountainous jungle and barren prior to the 1980's when it opened up to development and industrialization. However, there are some excellent museums and sites to visit. I always try to encourage customers (especially those visiting 1 time only) to make a stop in Beijing to see some of the amazing sites there including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.
The Food
There is no food in any American Chinese restaurant that compares to the food in China. Visitors expecting and Orange Chicken dish or Egg Roll will not be happy! Perhaps, some of the restaurants in Chicago's China-Town offer similar fair, but it is not the same. What are some of the differences? Of course, the ingredients in China are sometimes very unique and difficult (if not impossible) to find in the USA. Some of the favorites for visitors include unique green leaf vegetables, variations of fresh tofu, large whole fish (with names that can't be translated even) and a variety of mushrooms that explode with flavor! Also, the mid-grade restaurants in China are able to put in a tremendous amount of labor and effort to perfect the presentation since the labor costs are lower. Finally, the Chinese consider some parts of animals to be delicacies that the Western restaurants would throw away. If given the proper treatment, cooking and attention, you might be surprised how good stomach, brain, heart and even small insects can taste!
The Culture
It is hard to get a thorough impression of the Chinese culture in a 3-4 day visit (actually impossible!). However, when I take visitors away from the tourist traps and theme parks and we get out in the country to go horseback riding or visiting a small village, they are amazed at the relaxed lifestyle and family focused nature. While outside the large cities, you might see a small hut (smaller than a 2 car garage) that is host to 3 generations of family supporting themselves off of a small plot of land growing strawberries that they sell on the roadside.
I welcome everyone to visit China. I have one customer that visited China, fell in love with the country, extend his stay, and now he lives there with his wife (that he met while visiting the factory)!
Mike Ryan is the owner and President of RSP, Inc in Milwaukee, WI & Shenzhen, China. He has over 10 years experience designing, building, and testing membrane switches, touch screens, silicone rubber keypads, electronics and providing complete turn-key manufacturing solutions to clients around the world. He is fortunate to spend several months each year visiting and traveling in China.
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