In the nineties and noughties, China literally flooded the world market with cheap goods. However, while twenty years ago their Abibas sneakers were laughed at, nowadays "made in China" products often meet the highest quality standards. From a country with reverse engineering, the Celestial Empire has become a global leader in such areas as electronics manufacturing, automotive industry, artificial intelligence and computer technology.
This, of course, was facilitated by the availability of a rich raw material base, in particular, deposits of rare-earth elements necessary for the production of modern electronics. But equally important was the government's emphasis on the progress of the education system. It was young highly qualified specialists who helped China to make an economic spurt and turn from a lagging country into one of the world's "trendsetters".
Just imagine: due to the high population density, China graduates more than one million engineers annually. The best of them, and according to estimates it is not less than 10 thousand, make up the "star" composition of the labor market, which deals with high technologies and ensures further progressive development of the country.
To realize its "economic appetite", China annually generates 30% of the planet's electricity and at the same time is its largest importer. Therefore, training areas related to energy security, as well as minimizing the negative impact on ecosystems, are highly demanded and very popular among young people.
"In the vicinity of Urumqi and Karamay, two cities in my home region of Xinjiang, in the northwest of the country, the oil industry is booming. That's why I originally wanted to major in oil and gas engineering. But I changed my mind. Not the most fortunate coincidence helped - the documents from China were delayed, and I had to spend two years instead of one on preparatory courses in Russia. I had more time to think about my professional orientations. As a result, I entered the specialty of electrical power engineering and electrical engineering. I am sure that there will always be a job for a specialist of my profile in my home country," says Zhang Zixuan, who is now studying at St. Petersburg Mining University.
Posters with Lenin's testament "to study, study and study again" are hung in China in front of the entrance to every school. In the Celestial Empire, great attention is paid to receiving quality education. After the ninth grade, students take an exam. Only the best of them continue their studies for the next three years, and then obtained the opportunity to enter a university. So the people of China "from the youngest nails" are forced to fit into a fiercely competitive environment in order to get a place in the sun in the future.
"There is a lot of competition in the PRC. There are a lot of us - 1 billion 410 million people. A social elevator is only possible for those who put maximum effort into their education. It's not about money, but about diligence and perseverance. For example, I am currently studying at a master's program, and then I will go to graduate school. I chose this path because, firstly, I like to gain knowledge and do science, and secondly, this is how I can become a highly paid specialist. Our salary range for bachelors is 4000-5000 yuan (51-63 thousand rubles), masters earn from 6000 yuan (76 thousand rubles), and postgraduates can expect an even higher salary," says Zhang.
Perhaps that's why mining engineers almost always obtain a through education. After a bachelor's degree, the vast majority of them go on to a master's program either in their home country or in other countries. The level of demand for bachelor's degrees in high-tech enterprises in China tends to zero, which means that the Bologna system in China exists de jure but stagnates de facto.
Chinese students are increasingly choosing Russian universities in order to receive a high-quality and relatively inexpensive education. In addition, this opens up prospects for them not only for professional but also for intercultural growth.
"Russia is an important political and economic partner for China. I see that even in the distant future the relations between our countries will remain friendly at all levels. This opens up great opportunities for me as a specialist. I wanted to study in Russia not only for pragmatic reasons, but also because of my deep sympathy for your country and your president. Before applying, I got acquainted with the curriculum and technical equipment of several universities. But it was Mining University that I wanted to enroll in, as its infrastructure is noticeably different for the better. My decision was also influenced by the fact that not so many of my compatriots study here. For me, this is an undeniable plus. Otherwise, we would always speak our own language, and I wanted to be fully immersed in the Russian language environment. Thanks to this, I am already working remotely as an interpreter for a state-owned Chinese energy company," Zhang said.
He is the only child in his family, which, like millions of others, has become "hostage" to the demographic policy "One Family - One Child" pursued by China from 1979 to 2015. For the "little emperor" Zhang, and in the Celestial Empire it is the birth of a boy that is considered happiness, his parents created all the conditions. They not only helped him in his studies, but also fostered in him diligence and vitality. Therefore, the forced separation for three years due to travel restrictions in the People's Republic of China due to the coronavirus pandemic was a great challenge for the Zixuan family.
"I only managed to fly home last summer. I was incredibly happy to see my parents. We reminisced about their trip to St. Petersburg. Mom and Dad were struck by the fact that Nevsky Prospect alone and nearby had a large number of sights. They also liked the suburbs: Tsarskoe Selo with its adjacent park and the Amber Room in Catherine Palace, Peterhof with its lush fountains," recalls the young man.
He notes that studying at Mining University is not always easy for him, although he devotes a lot of time to his studies, including independent studies. For example, he still makes audio recordings of lectures and listens to them in the evening, although he has long understood Russian speech perfectly well:
"The hardest test for me was the subject of applied mechanics. The discipline was taught in the third year. I turned in my calculations several times, and the teacher kept saying that I had something wrong. And when I finally obtained "credit", I felt as if I had already graduated. It was incredibly difficult! Russian-speaking students probably found it easier than I did.
Zhang plans to complete his master's and post-graduate studies at Mining University, and after that he plans to stay in Russia or return home immediately. The young man intends to realize his potential not in his native Urumqi, but in larger cities, such as Beijing or Shanghai, where the level of his demand is clearly higher.