Author name: abdullah

Hong Kong — China from Within China from Within April 2026 · Hong Kong Hong Kong: Two Worlds, One Harbour By Howest Cybersecurity · China International Project 2026 Hong Kong Where traditions meet a futuristic skyline. Every street is a shortcut to somewhere unexpected. Morning 16 April 2026 Arrival by Bullet Train & First Impressions We left Shenzhen by bullet train at around 9 o’clock, crossing the border into Hong Kong in minutes. Arriving at the station, the first thing we had to navigate was customs, a reminder that Hong Kong, despite being part of China, operates under its own distinct rules. On the other side of customs, our guide for the day was waiting: Paul, an architecture teacher at CCC Chuen Yuen College, and our guide for our time here. We started in the city centre, taking in the density, the red taxis weaving between double-decker buses, everything happening at once across multiple levels of the same street, it was very crowded but an amazing experience nonetheless. Midday 16 April 2026 The Harbour Crossing & School Tour We took a boat across to the other side of the city, one of those moments where the scale of Hong Kong’s harbour hits you properly. The skyline from the water is something you can’t really photograph accurately; it just keeps going. After the crossing we stopped for lunch, then headed to CCC Chuen Yuen College where Paul gave us a full tour: the sports fields, the journalism classroom, and the architecture rooms. Afternoon 16 April 2026 Mount Austin & the View Above the City After the school tour we returned to the city centre for free time. Abdullah, Lowie, Nathan and Maddox decided to push further, we took a taxi up to Mount Austin and hiked to a viewpoint overlooking the entire city called Victoria Peak. From up there, the whole of Hong Kong laid itself out below us, the harbour, the shining skyscrapers, one of the best views of the trip.

Shenzhen — China from Within China from Within April 2026 · Shenzhen Shenzhen: The Hardware Capital, R&D Ecosystems, and Instant Horizons By Howest Cybersecurity · China International Project 2026 Shenzhen, Silicon Valley of Hardware Tracing the evolution of a fishing village into the world’s technological testing ground. Day 1 15 April 2026 Arrival in the Mega City: Towering Horizons & First Nights Our journey into Shenzhen began by us getting on a bus, watching the skyline unfold. Moving across the massive transit routes toward our hotel at the Metropark Hotel Shenzhen. After settling into the hotel, we headed out for an evening walk to explore the surrounding district and find some food and ran into a nice marketplace and got some food. Day 2 17 April 2026 From the Peak to the Pixel: Hiking Trails & Subculture Hubs We had nothing planned for the day, so we decided to set off on a steep hike up through a beautiful park. Reaching the observation peak, the rewards were instant: a high-altitude view of Shenzhen accompanied by some brilliant pink flowers. In the evening, we had planned to go to a nice view we found online but had too much time left over and ended up at BitCity by chance. An underground landscape dedicated to gaming, tech subcultures, and interactive design. Right as we stepped into BitCity, we were greeted by a basketball court where children were playing under guidance of their coach, surrounded by statues of characters from shows. Day 3 18 April 2026 Final Curtains: A Symphony of Light Before Departure Our last day in Shenzhen delivered one last unforgettable experience. On our way back to the hotel from Hong Kong to gather our luggage before heading out to the airport, we managed to catch a light show over the central business district. Gathering in a wide plaza alongside crowds of locals, we watched the skyscrapers transform into dynamic canvas screens, pulsing with synchronized colors and illuminations across all the buildings in front of us.

Shanghai — China from Within China from Within April 2026 · Shanghai Shanghai: Old Gold, New Skyline, One River Holding Both By Howest Cybersecurity · China International Project 2026 Shanghai, China’s Global City Global finance, international law, and next-gen tech logistics. Day 1 12 April 2026 Logistics and Urban Connectivity We transitioned from Hangzhou to Shanghai by private bus, arriving at our accommodation at 12:30 PM. The afternoon was spent on navigating the city’s public infrastrucutre, taking the metro somewhere more central where we went bowling. The Shanghai Metro runs with headways of roughly 5 minutes and fares between €0.50 and €1.00. By any standard, it is a benchmark for high-density urban transit. For lunch we went to the Xuhui District for Jiangxi stir-fry, a regional speciality that gave us an early taste of how diverse Shanghai’s food scene really is. And for dinner we went with a group to get street food: lamb skewers. Day 2 13 April 2026 Legal Frameworks and Supply Chain Logistics The most thought-provoking part of the day was a seminar at DaWo Law Firm, where we explored how Chinese and European legal frameworks diverge, particularly around data privacy. Where Europe’s GDPR puts the individual first, China’s approach frames security through the lens of social stability, backed up by widespread facial recognition and centralised surveillance infrastructure. One unexpected case study: rather than halting development for a protected heritage site, China will sometimes physically relocate the entire structure — preserving the building while freeing up the land. We then visited the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone to observe international trade logistics first-hand, including manual quality checks on luxury imports like French wine, even inside a high-tech free trade zone. The evening was spent walking around The Bund, for a nice view of the skyline, however as it was too foggy we came back the next day and caught a better view.

Hangzhou — China from Within China from Within April 2026 · Hangzhou Discovering Hangzhou: From Ancient Traditions to Modern Influences By Howest Cybersecurity · China International Project 2026 Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province Where stunning nature meets ancient medicine, digital-age commerce,and the world’s biggest market. Day 1 7 April 2026 Exploring Academic Partnerships Our first day in Hangzhou took us to Zhejiang Gongshang University, the partner institution cooperating with Howest. We were welcomed with a presentation on the university’s history, its expansion plans, and the academic possibilities available to international students. What stood out most was the chance to sit down directly with local students. No brochures, no slideshow, just an honest conversation about what studying in China is actually like. Day 2 8 April 2026 Delving into Traditional Chinese Medicine We shifted from modern academics to ancient science with a visit to the Zhejiang Chinese Medicine Museum: centuries of Chinese medical practice, from acupuncture techniques to handwritten prescriptions. The Hangzhou region is home to around 11,500 plant species — catalogued over centuries and used to treat a vast range of human ailments. Ancient Chinese doctors also studied animals in the wild, observing how they handled wounds, poisons, even a simple cold. That curiosity eventually led to breakthroughs like using snake venom in medicinal ointments, still relevant in medicine today. Day 3 9 April 2026 A Visit to Yiwu: the World’s Capital for Small Commodities We travelled to Yiwu, internationally known as the world’s capital for small commodities. Despite its reputation as a purely commercial city, Yiwu surprised us, the landscape is genuinely beautiful, with views across mountains and sleek modern buildings sitting side by side. The centrepiece was the Yiwu Market itself. The scale is almost impossible to describe. If you need it, for your business or for yourself, it is almost certainly somewhere inside that market. Day 4 10 April 2026 Inside the World of Livestreaming & Digital Media Our final day took us to the Regent International Centre, better known as the “Influencers’ Apartments”, a massive complex dedicated entirely to professional content creation. To stay relevant, creators must work live on camera for at least 5 hours non-stop — the discipline is closer to professional athletics as opposed to regular content streaming. Every video also goes through a strict optimisation process, carefully tailored to reach specific age groups. Beyond the on-camera performances, we were also shown the highly analytical side of the business.

Beijing — China from Within China from Within April 2026 · Beijing Beijing: Where Empires Are Remembered By Howest Cybersecurity · China International Project 2026 Beijing, Capital of China The wall that outlasted every empire that built it. Five thousand years in every stone. Day 1 — Morning 9 April 2026 The Great Wall of China The start of our journey through China. We arrived early at Beijing’s airport, from where we took the bus directly to the Great Wall. Once there, we took the cable car up, and stepping onto the Wall itself, the scale of it hits immediately. The Wall stretching endlessly in both directions, cutting across mountain ridges as far as you can see. Day 1 — Afternoon 9 April 2026 Temple of Heaven & Peking Duck After our first Chinese meal, a sharing experience, dishes placed in the centre of the table for everyone, we visited the Temple of Heaven, an ancient complex once used by the emperors of China for ceremonial worship. Walking through the grounds, the architecture and the sheer scale of the space make it easy to understand why emperors chose this place for ritual. For dinner, being in Beijing, there was only one choice: Peking duck served with a full spread of side dishes. Exactly as good as everyone says. Day 2 — Morning 10 April 2026 Exploring the Old City & Hutong Neighbourhoods With no fixed plans for the day, we decided to explore central Beijing on our own. We took the metro to the old city, full of charming old buildings and small winding streets. We wandered, exploring buildings, shops and restaurants, and found a local food hall for lunch with food that was very tasty. After lunch we walked through one of Beijing’s traditional hutong neighbourhoods, low, grey buildings packed tightly together, a striking contrast to the modern city just around the corner. One of those moments where old and new China exist within metres of each other. Day 2 — Afternoon 10 April 2026 The Commercial District We made our way to Beijing’s commercial district, a mix of European, American and Chinese brands side by side, with a separate section dedicated entirely to luxury shops. After taking it all in, we headed back to the hotel, found a small restaurant nearby for dinner, and ended the day with a short evening walk through the neighbourhood.