37-Year journey of discovery across China

"China today is so vastly different from what I first saw 37 years ago. The beauty of the landscape, along with the precious historic architectural treasures, which really impressed me, of course have not changed. However, much else has, including urbanization, modern infrastructure and the aspirations of so many people," Bruce Connolly, a photographer from the United Kingdom, says.

Connolly, who lived in China for about 37 years, took more than 250,000 photos in China, and those photos demonstrated his deep love for the country. "It has been an incredible privilege to have witnessed and photographed China over these many years. It is also important to share the images and experiences of China's development, from a land of intermediate technology into the high-tech of today," he says.

Connolly believes China's reform and opening up has helped the country in its transformation into a leading economy. "The reform and opening up certainly worked, as I would witness over many years of watching this country's incredible progress, from 'yesterday, today and toward tomorrow.'"

The word, "innovation," represents one of the major changes Connolly observed in China. "During my early years in China, much of what I saw was intermediate technology, compared with developed Western countries. However, I had lived in South China's Guangdong Province during the early years of reform and opening up. At that time, I could see what was starting to happen in cities, such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou. It was obvious then that, with time, China would transform itself into a high-tech society," he says.

"Today, so many people are using smartphones for so much in their everyday lives — from payments to booking trains, hotels, photography, checking weather and, of course, conversations. China has made great strides in advancing 5G development," he adds.

Having traveled extensively throughout China over many years, railway infrastructure and transportation were areas Connolly particularly noticed. "Development of China's high-speed railway network has made travel more comfortable and convenient. Travelers can easily reserve seats via mobile phones and the Internet," Connolly says.

For China, Connolly believes, there is no going backward to the days of industry and factories employing vast numbers of workers, and there is no longer a large pool of unskilled workers producing often-low-value goods.

"China is entering a time of a much more highly skilled, well-educated population. The country will go forward with high-end innovation and production of top-quality, high-end produce. The emphasis will be on high quality, rather than mass production," he says.

Photos from Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly October 2024)