The University of Glasgow. 2019. [Photo by Bruce Connolly/chinadaily.com.cn]

Surprisingly, despite the vastly improved access to information via the Internet today compared to when I first got involved with China there is still comparatively little known or understood of what China is really like. When I mentioned cities such as Tianjin or Chongqing I was met with blank looks, "Where?" Indeed I have long felt young Chinese know far more about my country than many of my fellow Scots (but not all) know of China. This is partly because so many Chinese go overseas for travel and study, with Scotland a popular destination while for a variety of reasons, the other way is not the case. It was traveling to China in 1987 and coming back to work in Guangzhou for a year in 1992 really opened my eyes to this vast country.