Students head to China for economy lesson
YOUNG entrepreneurs from King’s went on a school trip with a difference when they spent 10 days in China analysing what has created the world’s most confident economy.
David Williams, King’s head of global perspectives who doubles as an economics and business teacher, said China plays a huge role in the lessons and it was important for student to experience its economic structure for themselves. The King’s students visited both Beijing with a trip to a pearl factory, the Olympic Park, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City before taking the bullet train to Shanghai to see the new Volkswagen factory, Urban Planning Museum and financial district.
Marcus Nowak, 17, from Macclesfield, who wants to read economics at university, said: “I was surprised to see that many of the cars seemed to be the same style – whether police cars, taxis or family cars – and how the influence of a more command style economy has driven forward growth but at the same time limited choice and freedom.”
James Jordan, who is also 17 and wants to study business management at university, said: “Living in a small town like Macclesfield with what can seem like a cottage economy I felt overwhelmed by the sheer size of the country and the vast numbers of people. Our visit to the Urban Planning Museum showed how such dramatic change has been in part imposed on the people and I think I still prefer Macclesfield.”
Nancy Xia, 18, from Macclesfield, who wants to study psychology at university and was born and brought up in the UK from Chinese parents, said: “I feel I have both a Chinese and a Western perspective. I still feel the West is more influential as its culture has been adopted more easily worldwide and it is also important to remember that there are still many areas of China that would be classed as developing world. However each I time I visit China I can see how quickly the country is changing.”