On April 20, a delegation of 10 mainstream Indian media outlets visited Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. They toured the iconic Canton Tower, walked through the city's streets, and then delved into two very different kinds of infrastructure: a substation that looks like a "Moon Box" and a drone demonstration farm that points to the future of agriculture.
At the Guangzhou Powerbox™ Science Center—also known as the Lieqiao Substation—the Indian journalists saw what happens when utility meets aesthetics. Varghese K. George, Resident Editor of The Hindu in Delhi, was struck by how seamlessly the facility blended into the cityscape. "You will see an electric installation including a substation," he said. "It is very pronounced. It actually stands out as a kind of aesthetic I saw in most urban architecture.
Here it is so seamlessly combined into the cityscape that it does not stand out as an eyesore. It actually gels well." He noted the substation's green qualities, futuristic design, and engineering capabilities, adding, "I think I have not seen anything comparable to this anywhere yet."
The substation, originally a conventional 110kV facility, has been transformed into a public science center with a rooftop garden, exhibition halls, and noise-cancelling technology. For George, it was a revelation of how a city can turn an often-dreaded "eyesore" into a point of pride. "I'm sure there are a lot of reasons that people who live here should be proud of this city," he said earlier, after taking in Guangzhou's orderly layout and beauty.
Snehal T. Satghare, a senior journalist from Asian News International (ANI), found a familiar echo in Guangzhou's skyline. "So one thing is similar between Mumbai and Guangzhou is all the tallest buildings here," she observed.
"It gives me the why that it is somewhere similar to Mumbai—the buildings." Yet she also appreciated what makes Guangzhou unique: "Actually, this tower gives you a different perception of watching Guangzhou. It's a beautiful city. This tower is amazing and to whoever comes to Guangzhou, they should definitely visit here."
The delegation then moved to XAG, a leader in agricultural drones. Asawari Jindal from News X was particularly interested. She explained that India has a government program called "Namo Drone Didi," which empowers farmers—especially women—by giving them drone technology to establish their own farmlands. "So for us sitting in India, this is something that's really interesting because drone is a technology that's picking up very well in India," she said. At XAG's demonstration farm, she saw drones with the highest payload and 150 meter operating capacity.
"So keeping that in mind, coming over here and looking at the technology that has been utilized over here, that's really interesting."
From a substation that redefines urban infrastructure to drones that promise a greener, more efficient agriculture, the Indian journalists witnessed a city that does not just build tall—it builds smart.
As George put it, Guangzhou is a city he would recommend "to anybody who is interested in sheer sightseeing or learning more about technology, looking for better business opportunities between India and China or anywhere."
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Video, photo & cover: Deng Yingheng
