On 30th of June, AOE conducted a livestream session with the topic: "Making the Right Choice: Exploring China's Most Attractive Study Destinations."

In this session, we talked about the differences between cities in China, to give you an idea of what each city is famous for and what they can offer.

Here are some abstracts from the livestream:

China is a big country with varying climate, landscape, culture, food, and language and you can experience something unique everywhere you go to. Yet, most of us are struggling with deciding what city we should study. So today, we will discuss some of the most popular Chinese cities for studying abroad.

First, let’s talk about Beijing. Beijing is the capital city of China, and had been the capital city of China in past dynasties. It is the political center of China, as major international and national political events take place right here. The Zhongnanhai compound is the residence area of China’s national leaders, and the national people’s hall is where national meetings are held and foreign leaders are hosted. The tiananmen square is the symbol of China’s political power, with Mao Zedong’s portraits and the national emblem inscribed on the wall. There are also different cultural sites/parks in Beijing, such as the Yuan mingyuan, the Beihai park, and the Forbidden city, where you can experience the life of China’s aristocrats in ancient times. Beijing has many great universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Beijing institute of technology, and it is the educational center of China.

Shanghai is also a great city to live in. It is China’s financial center, with many global financial institutions setting up its regional headquarters and many of China’s most powerful financial institutions are also headquartered in Shanghai. The Lujiazui financial district is the CBD of Shanghai, and you will find many banks and businesses establishing their offices in that area. There are also lots of skyscrapers in Shanghai, displaying Shanghai’s economic might and rapid speed of development. And English proficiency in Shanghai is extremely high due to English being taught at all levels of education and the large number of foreign nationals living there. Shanghai is also home to some of China’s best universities such as the Fudan University, the Shanghai Jiaotong University, and the Tongji University. And many international universities have established their campus in Shanghai.

Hangzhou is also a nice city to live in. If you want to escape the bustling city life, and avoid the crowd and chaotic scene, then Hangzhou is the place to go. It is surrounded by many natural beauties and the most famous site is the West Lake, where you can go boating and hiking around. Of course, Hangzhou has lots of other really beautiful places such as Xixi Wetland, and the Qiantang River. And there are lots of great universities in Hangzhou. Zhejiang University is the most famous one, because it is not only in the C9 league, but it campuses are also extremely beautiful because they are located in the outdoor nature. Other great schools in Hangzhou include Hangzhou normal university, Zhejiang normal university, and Zhejiang university of science and Technology. And yes, you can also travel to the surrounding cities or beautiful villages nearby for travelling.

Shenzhen is also an amazing city to visit. It is the silicon valley of China, home to China’s top IT companies such as as Huawei, ZTE, and Tencent. It first started off as a fishing village near Hong Kong, and has now grown to a world-class city surpassing Hong Kong in GDP. And it is part of China’s greater bay area, in the Zhujiang delta. And there are also lots of skyscrapers in Shenzhen, and you can experience life in a global metropolis. The city also has a solid foundation in the logistics and international e-commerce industry, as many global companies set up factories there. Of course, the city is also home to some of the world’s best universities. Many global universities have set up branch campuses there and the city itself also has some very good universities such as Shenzhen University.

Nanjing is also a lovely city to study in. It is the capital city of Zhejiang province, and also had been the capital city of past dynasties in China. Nanjing city wall is also a magnificent site to visit, and there are also lots of great mountains and lakes to visit. It is the economic powerhouse of Jiangsu province, spanning other cities in those region. There are many reputable schools such as Nanjing University, Nanjing university of science and Technology, and Nanjing forestry university. And there has also been growing number of international students studying there these days due to its increasing popularity.

The last city i want to introduce is Xi’an. Xi’an had been the ancient capital of China in the past few dynasties. The famous historic site include the Terra Colta Warriors, the city wall, and the goose pagoda, displaying the historic and cultural significance of the city. Many of the architecture in Xi’an feature ancient Tang and Han dynasty style and have been used for commercial purposes nowadays. And Xi’an also lies along the Qinling mountain, which is great for outdoor mountain climbing and hiking. And there are also lots of beautiful natural forest parks in that area as well you can visit. Xi’an is home to some of China’s good educational institutions such as Xi’an jiaotong university, Northwestern university of engineering, and Xi’an jiaotong University.

If you have any trouble selecting schools in China, you should contact AOE Chinese. We will guide you on school selection, writing application materials, document verification and submission, pre-arrival orientation, and so much more. Our services are not only professional and comprehensive, so drop us a question if you have any concerns about studying in China. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.