Video series reveals how employees at Chinese companies’ overseas branches view the nation
(PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Aimed at helping the world better understand China, the China Through the Eyes of Overseas Employees video series was released on Sept 7.
Co-produced by the Shanghai Municipal Information Office and Xinmin Evening News, the 100-episode series features 100 foreigners telling their stories about China.
Among them is Julien Robert, one of the first French employees at the French branch of Chinese company SAIC Motor.
Robert, who started working for the Shanghai-based auto company at the beginning of last year, is presently the sales and network director of MG, and he expressed his pride at the success the brand has achieved in the French market.
“France is the biggest market for MG in Europe. Some 5,000 cars were sold in 2021,” said Robert, who has been working in the auto industry for more than 15 years.
He said that in less than a year, the company has expanded its network from just 10 dealers to more than 120, and attributed the success to the joint efforts of the company’s French and Chinese employees.
“Both the French and Chinese are really open and they have adapted quickly to each other. Every day, we learn from one another and this is why we have achieved success,” he said in an episode of the video series.
Hailing from more than 40 countries and regions, the 100 foreigners featured in the series are currently working at the overseas branches of Chinese companies including State-owned enterprises such as China Railway Group, China Eastern Airlines and SAIC Motor as well as private enterprises such as Universal Energy and miHoYo.
“Through my sharing and practical experience, my friends ... started to better appreciate SIPG’s contribution to the Israeli economy, and were surprised to hear about the level of efficiency and the new technology the group brought to Israel,” said Tal Goldstein, HR manager of SIPG Bayport in Haifa, Israel, in another episode.
He confessed that he knew little about Chinese culture before joining Shanghai International Port Group Co Ltd three years ago, but has since developed a strong interest in it.
“Having overseas employees tell stories is an ingenious way to help others learn about Chinese culture and spark interest in it, and this video series serves as a communication bridge between China and the rest of the world,” said Clarisse Le Guernic from France at the series’ launch ceremony in Shanghai.
The 26-year-old currently runs a tourism company serving international visitors in Shanghai. She believes that Shanghai is a melting pot of cultures, and that what is needed is more insights into the city’s culture and history.
“If foreigners would like to understand China, they should start with Shanghai,” said Simon Lichtenberg, founder and CEO of furniture company Trayton Group, at the series’ launch ceremony on Sept 7.
Lichtenberg, who has lived in Shanghai for 35 years, said he is proud to call himself a “new Shanghainese”.
“As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Shanghai,” said Martina Franceschini from Italy in another episode.
Franceschini said that Shanghai’s ability to merge its historical heritage with modern prosperity has always amazed her.
Currently a sales representative at China Eastern Airlines’ Europe Marketing Center, Rome Sales Department, Franceschini majored in Chinese and literature at university and speaks fluent Chinese.
“It took Marco Polo four years to travel from Italy to China. Now with our China Eastern Airlines flights, all you need to do is to have a nap on the latest A350 aircraft and you’ll wake up in Shanghai with a view of the landmark Oriental Pearl Tower,” she said.
She still remembers Flight MU787, which transported the first batch of Chinese medical experts and epidemic prevention supplies to Italy, in part of China’s efforts to help Italy contain the novel coronavirus outbreak, on March 12, 2020.
“It made me realize how deep the friendship between China and Italy is, and this reinforced my belief that the future partnership between the two countries will grow closer,” she said.
China Through the Eyes of Overseas Employees is the second season of the popular video series Shanghai Through Our Eyes which was released last year. The series is now available on social media platforms and major news portals.
Zheng Zheng contributed to this story.
