My fourth week in China brought me to several landmarks in Beijing, where I attended a variety of events.

The first was the 2025 Global Energy Interconnection Conference, held at the China National Convention Centre – a venue that also served as the international media and broadcast centre during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics.

As I got down from the bus that brought the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC) participants to the venue, the Beijing Olympic Tower came into view, standing tall as a reminder of the city’s Olympic legacy.

Later in the week, I attended the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) at the Shougang Park, a former steel mill and once China’s largest steel enterprise in the 20th century, which turned into a vibrant hub of cultural and technological events. According to the 2024 Handbook for Overseas Journalists in Beijing, Shougang Park has emerged as a new landmark that showcases the industrial culture of the capital and Beijing’s culture of innovation at large.

At CIFTIS, I explored various products and services from multiple regions across China.

Shougang Park showcases the industrial culture of Beijing.

Many food and drink samples were offered to guests at the event. At the Ningxia region booth, I was offered a mutton dish, but I hesitated. I asked the promoter in Chinese, “qīng zhēn (清真)?” to check if the food was halal. The promoter nodded and pointed to the word qīng zhēn, in Chinese writing on the packaging. I happily tasted the dish, proud that I could now correctly pronounce “halal” in Chinese and be understood by a local.

The Miao Ethnic Group booth at CIFTIS.

Curious, I later learned that more than one-third of Ningxia’s population is of the Hui Muslim ethnic group, which explains why halal food is so common in the region, with mutton as a staple dish.

I also had the chance to sip Yunnique coffee. As a coffee lover, I immediately fell in love with its rich, smooth flavour. Interested to learn more, I researched the brand and found out some interesting facts. According to the yunniquecoffee.com page, the coffee is sourced from the proud farmers of Pu’er coffee plantations in the mountainous region of the Yunnan Province of China.

The Yunnique Coffee booth.

This area has a long history of coffee roots brought in by the French missionaries in the late 1800s and is now recognised as the coffee capital of China. The smooth, rich flavour is the result of this region’s unique microclimate, rich soil, and terraced terrains, said the web page.

Moving on, I had the chance to admire the sand and stone painting culture from Zhangjiajie, a city in Hunan province; visited the Miao ethnic booth from Chengbu in Hunan Province and learned about the China-made unmanned helicopter on display. There were also lively dance and music performances, as well as beautiful paper-cutting demonstrations that added to the festive atmosphere.

Acrobats stage a spectacular performance.

The next day, the CIPCC group returned to Shougang Park. This time for the opening ceremony of the Hebei International Cultural Week. Located in northern China, I was thrilled to try my hand at two of Hebei province’s traditional heritages – woodblock printing and embroidery – delicately stitching silk thread onto fine silk fabric.

The author (left) tries her hand at stitching embroidery.

At the ceremony, my group and I were captivated by the performances from the province, including the Taichi movement, the melody from pipa and guzheng – traditional musical instruments, the dramatic Hebei Bangzi Opera martial play and the breathtaking acrobatics.

I wrapped up the week with a visit to the All-China Journalists Association Press Hall on Friday, feeling inspired and eager to continue my adventure in the weeks ahead.

-- BERNAMA

Rohani Mohd Ibrahim, a journalist with BERNAMA, is currently in Beijing to attend the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC) Programme, from Aug 18 to Dec 15 2025.

The initiative, organised by the China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA), serves as a platform for practical cooperation between Chinese media organisations and those from emerging markets and developing economies.

The programme also provides foreign journalists with the opportunity to gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of China’s society, development and international engagement.

This marks BERNAMA’s eighth participation in the CIPCC programme since 2018.