The reporters were visiting the Great Wall in China. [Photo by Wang Zhiyong/China.org.cn]

Like its trade, China's cultural and breath-taking sights are attractions that have made it an admirable destination for tourists. From incredible ancient architecture to rich heritage, one is bound to be swept away by the world's second largest economy.

China Beijing

Timothy Kalyegira recently wrote an article in the Sunday Monitor about a TV series titled "Brothers: Hand in Hand with Africa" focusing on China's projects in Africa which, he says, reveals the embarrassing backwardness of our continent. According to Tim, Africa as seen through China's eyes lives in conditions of the 1920s.

In my view, many Chinese do not see it that way. Or perhaps they do but are too polite to say it. On the streets of Beijing, ordinary Chinese are guarded about the growing China-Africa relations. What is obvious is that the Chinese have a well-structured setup that allows a visitor to experience their country without saying much.

Beijing, China's second largest city has many attractions. The Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall is one of the first stops for visitors because it introduces you to Beijing- its history and future! Our guide took us through the 3,200 square feet comprehensive model of Beijing in a four-story museum-like building.

This exhibition showcases impressive architecture and treasured historic models. It is an in depth assembly of everything Beijing, including a model of the city's plans. Our tour ended in the hall's theatre where tourists have the opportunity to see what the city will look like in future. As my colleagues lamented about how KCCA could use such plans, I recalled a recent visit to Nairobi where a young woman who had done extensive research on the Kenyan capital told us that no one was interested in her presentations. We were sympathetic enough to invite her to share her findings later. None of us showed up!

The Great Wall of China

As one of the greatest wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China boasts of more than 2000-year history. Our translator, Li Xiao, was incidentally climbing the Great Wall for the first time and like me, she descended with hands shaking and legs trembling.

As we went through endless dark alleys, I asked one of the locals why the rough surfaces are not smoothened to ease the steep ascend. "That would erase our history," I was told. For now, the Wall is best left with its faded charm. Its uniqueness is the imposing architectural splendour, not the smoothness of the staircases.

According to www.greatwall-of-china.com, the Wall, built between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire, is the world's longest human-made structure, with the entire wall and its branches stretching over approximately 21,196 km. Estimates put the number of Chinese who died during this project at two to three million.