The first activity of the 2023 "Foreign Journalists Visit Beijing" event took place on March 8. With invitations from the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and the Pinggu District People's Government, 65 journalists who came from mainstream media outlets in 57 countries to cover China's "two sessions" visited the Zhongguancun Agricultural Science and Technology Park in Pinggu District and experienced Beijing's new changes in a more immersive way.

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(Photo via Beijing Daily)

The trip was particularly focused on scientific and technological development and began with a visit to WOD Chen-Long Biotechnology's laying hen hatchery, where the foreign journalists were introduced to the finer points of the company's intelligent information platform about laying hens. A visit to the Beijing Jingwa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center's digital hall and laboratories as well as Xmeats laboratories gave them a better understanding of rural revitalization powered by technological innovation and the efforts by Pinggu District to promote independent technological innovation in livestock and poultry breeding, pilot digital agriculture, and advance modern agriculture. The foreign journalists also visited the doctoral farm project in Nanying Village to check out its special automation and control, environment monitoring, intelligent irrigation, and big data and cloud computing systems.   

No trip to Beijing would be complete without an immersive cultural experience. The foreign journalists visited the Violin Experience Center of Beijing Huadong Musical Instrument Corp Ltd., and were treated to instrument making processes and a unique feeling of the bond between the musical cultures of East and West. At the workshops of Zixingyuan (Beijing) Food Technology Co., Ltd., they learned about the development of time-honored brands and the use of modern production techniques for traditional Beijing snacks. 

At the end of their visit, the foreign journalists expressed a desire to participate in future activities along with amazement at the strides China has made in modernization, and praised Beijing's efforts in pursuit of technology-based, green agriculture. With a general consensus about the model China could present for global development, they showed a willingness to use media channels in support of greater cultural exchange and international cooperation. 

(Source: Beijing Daily)