Following a long day of travel and a good night’s sleep, Class 6 woke up in Guangzhou refreshed and ready for another exciting day in China.
While reroute to our first stop of the day our new tour guide Jocelyn gave us some insight into Guangzhou, its language and its food.
Guangzhou has a long history and has been known for many years as being the door to the world. Its history as a port city has made it an important city in regards to business in China and the world.
As China has grown and developed, so has Guangzhou. Nowhere is that more evident than the Guangzhou countryside which was our first stop of the day. When compared to other countryside communities or farming environments in China, Guangzhou breaks the mold. As we exited the bus into what appeared to be a quaint city park we were surprised to hear we were actually in the Guangzhou countryside. As the young left the farms to work at the universities or in factories, the older generation still tending to the farms, they realized it was more profitable to focus their operations on the booming tourist trade. This change resulted in a communal farming environment nestled in a comfortable and homey urban setting.
Mr. Guang, a local farmer, was kind enough to take us on a personal tour of his orchards and his home. He gave us valuable information about how he and his fellow farmers have managed to change their business plan to target the tourist market as opposed to the wholesale market.
After touring Mr. Guang’s home we headed to lunch where we experienced a Cantonese feast consisting of goose, grass carp, shrimp, fried tofu, greens, black chicken and milk soup, and chicken and vegetables topped off with a sweet bread and watermelon.
Following lunch we headed to the Guangzhou Port Nansha Grain and General Cargo Terminal. The terminal serves as the largest import and export port in China dealing primarily in soybeans, corn, wheat and barley. Approved for development in 2008 the facility now consists of 7.06 square kilometers and is seated in the geometric center of the Pearl River Delta with access to all the major Pearl River Delta cities. The terminal consists of 36 International trade lanes and 14 Domestic trade lanes.
One important aspect of this terminal is that it is a Free Trade Port Zone which means it is exempt from import and export duties. Commodities handled in this facility can have the taxes or duties refunded and can be stored for an extended length of time without being taxed.
After an eye opening look into export and import logistics we headed back into the city for another Cantonese meal and some socializing.
Noelle Harding
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