Of late, I spent twelve days in China visiting Sichuan, Shanghai and Guangdong provinces. There, I attended a specialised official training programme. The experience was amazing and full of surprises. From Sichuan’s industrial corridors to Shanghai’s Pudong skyline, what I witnessed was more than infrastructure. It was systems thinking in motion, where design, technology, governance and human behaviour are deeply synchronised. I could not resist capturing the experience and insights I gained. From Kunming to Chengdu Tianfu to Guangzhou Baiyun, China’s airports serve as national service platforms. The integration of smart navigation, efficient security, commercial zoning, and multi modal transport into a seamless experience is truly outstanding. Urban mobility is equally disciplined: wide motorways, metro networks, bike lanes and walkable sidewalks are designed as core civic infrastructure.

Technology is the driving force behind China’s growth. From cashless QR payments to AI-powered automation, it permeates daily life. Robots deliver hotel amenities, manage waste and assist in healthcare, while smart machines streamline airport verification. In Sichuan, DEC’s humanless turbine factory uses precision robotics for global power projects, supported by a digital centre that visualises entire plant lifecycles. In Shenzhen, the world’s largest electronics market fosters innovation, recycling, and entrepreneurship, making technology an engine that connects policy, industry, and everyday life.

For Bangladesh, the next leap lies in embracing automation, AI and digital industry. And this must be integrated with education, governance and production to ensure sustainable progress. Ultimately, innovation must become our most powerful infrastructure. Bangladesh’s digital payment adoption through mobile banking shows early signs of this transition. China’s digital ecosystem, anchored by WeChat, Alipay and Amap, powers nearly everything: social networking, payments, ridesharing, mapping, and government services. All of it runs on local servers in Mandarin, deeply embedded in daily life and governance. Few countries have achieved such complete digital localisation. For Bangladesh, the imperative is clear: we need a secure, Bangla-first national platform that connects identity, utility payments, transport, and land services under one umbrella. True progress in the digital era depends not only on access but also on ownership, language, and data control.

China’s tourism does not just attract tourists. It educates, activates and instils pride. From Shenzhen’s ‘Window of the World’ to the ‘Chengdu Panda Base’ and the rejuvenated Mianyuan River in Deyang, each site feels like a living theatre of national identity, where architecture, conservation and commerce converge. In Shanghai, the Pudong skyline tells a story of urban transformation. The Oriental Pearl Tower offers layered views of civic life, urban rhythm, and global ambition, while the spiralling Shanghai Tower symbolises innovation and sustainability. At night, reflections over the Huangpu River turn infrastructure into art. Tourism must be treated as a strategic export industry generator of soft power, jobs, and national confidence. China’s lesson for Bangladesh: tourism is not a location; it is a narrative engineered into place.

Across supermarkets, hotels, airports, metro stations and offices, women in China are visibly embedded in frontline service roles. From ticket counters to security, their participation is not tokenistic, it is operationally standard. Fitness and honesty appear deeply embedded in Chinese daily life. In parks, streets, and courtyards, people of all ages walk, stretch, dance, or practise Tai Chi. They often do so in groups and always with quiet discipline. Safe public spaces and a collective respect for time and health make wellness a civic norm. Simple habits like drinking hot water and herbal teas, eating light meals, and daily movement keep people naturally energetic. Wellness is not a luxury; it is a foundation of productivity and balance. Public interactions in China reflect integrity and professionalism. Service workers, officials, and citizens are polite, sincere, and friendly in manner and focused on tasks. For Bangladesh, there is a lesson in their discipline and norms.

Regardless of political ideology, China’s execution capacity is undeniable. Clean public spaces, stable mega-projects, and long-term plans that outlast political cycles reflect governance that prioritises continuity. From Deyang’s disciplined streets to Shanghai’s synchronised transit systems, the system works. Mobility reinforces this confidence. On a 300 km/h bullet train from Chengdu to Guangzhou, on-board screens narrate revolutions, space missions, and engineering feats. Pudong’s ordered and ambitious skyline embodies national discipline. Bangladesh is building its own icons: Padma Bridge, Dhaka Metro Rail, Karnaphuli Tunnel, etc. These must move not only people but also mindsets. To sustain this momentum, Bangladesh must forge cross-party compacts, allocate PPP risks efficiently and protect infrastructure pipelines from political disruption. True progress lies not only in building projects, but in governing with continuity and shared national purpose.

Bangladesh does not need to become China. Rather, it should own its version of coherent and confident development. To accelerate and sustain our progress, it must focus on increasing knowledge, understanding, and use of technology across sectors; building an integrated system that links digital services; and transforming tourist sites into learning engines.

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The writer is Senior Assistant Chief, Bangladesh Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning