Acting on Knowledge, Understanding China —— Our Institute's 2024 International Students Conduct Graduation Field Study in Beijing

In accordance with the teaching requirements of our institute's Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) program for developing countries, from June 22 to 26, the 2024 cohort of international students traveled to Beijing to participate in the "Reading China" field study series on China's Reform and Development. Over the five-day itinerary, the students visited the Ministry of Finance, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Reanda International, and the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University, while also exploring the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall. Through these engagements, they gained close-up exposure to the top-level design of China's financial and fiscal governance and the frontiers of industry practice, while also immersing themselves in the historical and cultural charm of the ancient capital Beijing. By integrating knowledge with action through field-based learning, the students moved beyond textbook theories to confront real-world scenarios, intuitively grasping the development logic, governance models, and opening-up philosophy of Chinese-style modernization, and gaining a comprehensive understanding of a true, multi-dimensional, and panoramic China.

**Public Finance and Governance: Understanding the Institutional Logic of China's Participation in International Cooperation**

The international students successively visited the Ministry of Finance of China and the headquarters of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). At the Ministry of Finance, Bai Xiaohong, Member of the Party Committee and Vice Dean of the institute, introduced the talent cultivation system and study objectives for the international students. Yang Jianmin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Economic and Financial Cooperation of the Ministry of Finance, delivered a speech and outlined the overall landscape of China's external financial and economic cooperation. Relevant experts shared insights on topics including multilateral and bilateral financial and economic cooperation and inclusive finance development, with the international students actively posing questions based on their own countries' realities. At the AIIB, staff explained the headquarters building's design philosophy, which integrates elements of the "Chinese knot" and "Lu Ban lock." Investment and operations experts used the Rwanda project as a case study to detail the entire process from assessment to implementation. The students engaged in in-depth exchanges with experts on topics such as accession procedures and loan approvals, gaining a clearer understanding of how to leverage the AIIB's experience to advance infrastructure projects in their home countries.

**Industry Practice: Witnessing the Innovative Pace of Chinese Professional Services Going Global**

During the visit to Reanda International Certified Public Accountants, the occasion coincided with the fifth anniversary of the scholarship program jointly established by the institute and Reanda for international students, and an award ceremony was held on-site. Huang Jinhui, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Reanda International, and Vice Dean Bai Xiaohong jointly presented awards to the winning international students. Representing the recipients, Kong Ru from Sierra Leone and He Qiaoling from Cambodia shared their reflections on studying in China. The two sides also jointly released a new issue of the *Belt and Road Accounting Services Trade Development Report (2025)*. Huang Jinhui delivered a special lecture titled "The Innovative Path of Internationalization for China's Accounting Firm Industry," offering the students direct insights into the valuable experience of Chinese professional services accompanying Chinese enterprises in their global expansion.

**Think Tank Dialogue: Jointly Discussing China-Africa Cooperation and Modernization of the Global South**

At the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China, Director Wang Wen introduced the institute's positioning as a think tank, while Vice Dean Bai Xiaohong elaborated on the background and outcomes of the field study collaboration. Eight experts shared their perspectives on topics including the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Africa cooperation, the digital economy, and global governance. They noted that China extends international friendship through infrastructure aid, that China-Africa trade cooperation is pragmatic, flexible, and free of political conditionalities, and that Africa can draw on China's experience to explore modernization paths suited to its own national conditions. The international students posed enthusiastic questions on issues such as regional development imbalances, geopolitical risks, and industrial chain resilience, fostering lively exchanges on site.

**Cultural Immersion: Walking along the Central Axis of the Ancient Capital, Perceiving the Heritage of Chinese Civilization**

Alongside the professional visits, the international students strolled through Nanluoguxiang, experiencing the vibrant alleyway life of old Beijing; visited the Temple of Heaven, appreciating the Eastern philosophy and architectural art embodied in the concept of "round heaven and square earth"; ascended to the Wanchun Pavilion atop Jingshan Hill, taking in the magnificent order of Beijing's central axis; climbed the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, gaining an appreciation for the wisdom and tenacity of ancient laborers amid the towering mountains; and visited the National Stadium ("Bird's Nest"), overlooking the panoramic view of Olympic Park and experiencing the legacy of the Olympic spirit in China. This series of cultural activities allowed the students to deeply perceive the millennia-old accumulation, cultural richness, and contemporary vitality of Chinese civilization through its history, architecture, and urban landscape.

**Conclusion**

Through this field study in Beijing, the international students not only witnessed the hard power of contemporary China in such areas as public finance, financial services, accounting services, and infrastructure, but also experienced the soft power of China's outstanding traditional culture. In her remarks at the Reanda award ceremony, Vice Dean Bai Xiaohong drew an analogy with the Chinese character *ji* (纪) — just as ancient Chinese people sorted out tangled threads when boiling cocoons and drawing silk to weave brocade, she encouraged the students to grasp the essential principles and follow the core rules in their future work and lives. These financial and fiscal officials, soon to complete their studies and return to their home countries, will carry with them a multi-dimensional understanding of China's development path, serving as bridges and bonds connecting China with Belt and Road partner countries, and contributing their wisdom and strength to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.