Reform and opening up broadens China’s civilian diplomacy

However, she has always had an uncanny confidence in Shanghai's urban construction. She said that she had the idea four years ago that Shanghai would develop further and its size would continue growing. This time, her thought was confirmed.“We walked to a street and saw one building under construction, but I came back there last night and I felt that the exterior wall had already been completed. It seemed to have been finished in one day. So I think the speed is really amazing. It’s too fast. Shanghai is really a flourishing city,” said Caroline excitedly, with her eyes full of admiration.

She considers this change in four years to be an epitome of the dramatic changes that have taken place since China opened up to the outside world.

The reform and opening up that began in the 1970s and 1980s gave many ordinary foreigners like Caroline a chance to come to China. Before that, however, this new China was closed to foreigners because of the trauma of war.

After reform and opening up, foreigners were no longer excluded totally. Most of the first batch of foreigners that came to China were foreign investors and experts the government had invited to help build China. However, it was still very difficult for ordinary people to come to China.