Having returned from my internship at the Embassy of Switzerland to China, I now look back on 12 exciting and very eventful months, marked by many unexpected turns. Even though I had been in China once before, it was a mind opening experience to live in a district of Beijing, which had about the same population size as Switzerland. Working in the section for Science, Technology and Education (STE) has allowed me to closely follow China’s technological development, which has been very fascinating regarding the fact, that these developments, for instance 5G, impact daily life very directly. Similarly interested in international affairs, it was a big privilege to get insight into the work of a Swiss Embassy on a mainstage of global politics.
As an intern at the STE section, my tasks included the reporting on subjects of technological relevance such as quantum computing or cyber security. Furthermore, I had the chance to help organizing events such as the Swiss Day at Tsinghua University, an event to promote Swiss universities which was the clear highlight of my first six months. Other great experiences were the attendance of an event in the Olympic Stadium, a dinner in the Great Hall of People at Tiananmen Square or the visit of our colleagues from swissnex in Shanghai.
The outbreak of COVID-19 marked a sudden and unexpected turn right after I signed for an extension of my internship. I remember having written in January a small report about the new virus in Wuhan, of which I had never heard before. It was only during my holidays right before Chinese New Year, when I realized, that the disease might be a bigger issue than expected. Luckily, I was able to continue my internship at the Embassy despite the difficult situation. Having had good roommates and friends in Beijing, it was a comparatively easy decision to stay. Due to the new situation, my work changed significantly, as suddenly all events, visits and expositions were cancelled or postponed. Instead, I had the opportunity to work closely with the political section and support them with the reporting on the virus and Chinese health policies.
It was a great experience to discover Beijing and China for the last 12 months. The city has incredibly much to offer in terms of food, entertainment, and culture. Especially aware of the Swiss prices for restaurants, I will miss the great choice of dining places and food courts in Beijing. Also, the city is so big, that you never finish discovering it. I loved to walk through the streets with my analogue camera and trying to capture the vibes of the city in pictures.
From small tasks like how to properly write an e-mail to engaging in complex topics such as 5G networks or space missions, I had the chance to learn a broad range of useful tools. It was a great experience to work together with Chinese as well as Swiss colleagues and to experience this intercultural exchange on a professional basis. Working at the nexus of science, technology, and politics, I had the opportunity to explore China from a very future-oriented and relevant perspective.
I would recommend this internship to everybody who wants to broaden his or her horizon and is interested in current politics. The internship has helped me to build my own opinion about China, a fascinating country with a long and rich history. After one year in Beijing, I am pretty sure this won’t have been my last time in China.
