Interview: Russian businessman sees great progress in China

Source: Xinhua | 05-05-2009 21:19

by Hai Yang, Zhao Jialin

MOSCOW, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Mikhail Bayev, owner of a tea culture club in Moscow who visits China every year, is amazed at constant developments in the major developing country.

Bayev, in his 50s, told Xinhua recently that "so many changes have taken place in China, it is difficult to describe in just a few words."

When first visiting Beijing in the early 1990s, Bayev was struck most by the cramped, inconvenient living conditions of the traditional courtyard houses.

He said no houses had private toilets and most families shared a communal one, and in winter, people had to stockpile coal to ensure heating.

However, in only a matter of years his friends who once lived in courtyard houses, had moved into newly-built apartments with modern facilities.

Bayev said besides Beijing, he was also impressed with the rapid development of other smaller cities in China.

While traveling in areas of southwest China's Yunnan Province to buy Puer tea, Bayev said the first thing that caught his attention was the well-constructed roads and convenient transportation.

When visiting the homes of local people, he was amazed that most were equipped with modern household appliances.