Delving into the nation’s efforts in exploring the universe and the exquisite craftsmanship of traditional gold jewelry, journalism students and guests participating in the 2024 Campus News Awards gained new knowledge and unforgettable experiences through the event’s exchange activities.

As part of the awards sidelines, the delegation visited jewelry giant Chow Tai Fook’s Shunde Artisanal Smart Manufacturing Centre in Foshan and Zhuhai Aerospace Land, the nation’s first superscale space center, on Dec 9 and 10.

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The activities aim to enhance an understanding of the nation’s achievements, and promote cultural exchanges among the students, who are from the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and Taiwan.

Among the impressive exhibits at Zhuhai Aerospace Land, a life-sized model of the Tiangong space station captured much attention, allowing visitors to step inside and experience how the nation’s taikonauts live and work.

Other exhibits included models of the nation’s homegrown C919 passenger aircraft, the Jiaolong manned deep-sea submersible, a series of Long March carrier rockets, as well as interactive exhibitions related to space and astronomy.

For Lin Yong-zhen, a second-year journalism student from Chinese Culture University in Taipei, this was her first visit to a museum of this kind.

With this rare opportunity, she gained a wealth of knowledge about aerospace and learned about the development of cutting-edge technologies in the nation.

Lin described Zhuhai as a “futuristic metropolis”, as numerous areas are still under construction, and many of the completed skyscrapers appear exceptionally modern.

An equally excited Yang Xiongbo, a sophomore journalism student at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the visit made him realize that space, which often seems abstract and distant from our daily lives, is actually a reality.

Ng Lin-sing, a member of the panel of judges for the Best in News Photography category since the awards’ inception in 2012, expressed pride as a Chinese person being able to witness the nation’s fast-growing achievements.

Another stop on the exchange tour was the Chow Tai Fook Shunde Artisanal Smart Manufacturing Centre in Foshan.

The 95-year-old Guangzhou-based jewelry company amazed the group with its enchanting traditional crafts, technological innovation and stunning products.    

Ng, who is also the permanent honorary president of the Chinese Photographic Association of Hong Kong, said he was impressed with Chow Tai Fook’s efforts to preserve and pass on the legacy of traditional Chinese craftsmanship.

“It is encouraging to see the company has cultivated young talent and helped them clinch various awards at jewelry craftsmanship competitions,” he said.

Ng highlighted the need for young people to understand Chinese history and culture. He said he believes it is easier for them to develop interest in traditions through a specific area, such as craftsmanship.

Deeply impressed by the goldsmithing technique, Wang Yu, an undergraduate majoring in communication studies at Fo Guang University in Taiwan, said she found it breathtaking to see meticulously created gold ornaments.

“The goldsmith’s skillful hands are like a magic wand, turning unpolished gold into exquisite art pieces. This is the marvel of a cultural heritage,” Wang said.

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She called the trip “an eye-opening experience”, as it was her first time traveling to the Chinese mainland. “Before I came here, I had hardly learned anything about the (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao) Greater Bay Area. The region is full of places worth exploring,” she said.

Since the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, the Campus News Awards ceremony has provided opportunities for thousands of award-winning journalism students to explore the vibrant cultural and innovation landscape of the Greater Bay Area. Previous itineraries have included visits to the Hong Kong Palace Museum and tech companies such as Pony.ai and XPeng Motors in Guangzhou.