Members of a group of Australians exchange views about their visits to China in a meeting room at the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne, Australia, May 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Haijing)

MELBOURNE, May 25 (Xinhua) -- "I give the China trip 10 out of 10!" "I went twice, so I give it 20!"

In a meeting room at the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne, a group of Australians recently recalled their visits to China with visible excitement. From the modern dynamism of Chongqing and the historical charm of Xi'an to the vibrant atmosphere of Changsha, the memories of the journeys were still fresh.

"After returning from China, I no longer bother arguing with people about China. I just tell them: go and see it for yourself," said Robert Barwick, national chairman of the Australian Citizens Party.

In October 2025, Barwick joined 18 other Australians from different sectors in a 21-day study and goodwill tour to China, organized by Richard Yuan, chairman of Australia China Entrepreneurs Club. The delegation visited Haikou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and a number of other Chinese cities.

From March to April this year, the delegation organized another visit to more Chinese cities.

During the trips, delegation members held in-depth discussions with local officials, visited high-tech companies, experienced China's medical services, and learned about the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the Museum of the Communist Party of China and the Site of the First National Congress of the CPC.

For John Lander, who is in his 80s and served as Australia's deputy ambassador to China from 1974 to 1976, the trip was also a journey of rediscovery.

During his visit, Lander met Xia Boyu, a Chinese mountaineer who reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma despite having lost both legs. To Lander, Xia embodied the Chinese spirit -- "stand, endure and succeed."

Noelene Isherwood, co-founder of the Australian Citizens Party, said the China trip felt "like walking from a blizzard into a warm room." What impressed her most was the spirit of the Chinese people.

"They are fast-paced and optimistic," she said, adding that what stood out to her was the country's "happiness, unity and sense of purpose."

Her husband, Craig Isherwood, national secretary of the Australian Citizens Party, was struck by the growth of Chinese enterprises. He noted that many companies that began as start-ups two decades ago had, with government support, grown into multinational firms worth billions of dollars.

"China believes in market economy," he said, "but it's the market economy for the benefit of the people," rather than for the benefit of large corporations.

For business strategy consultant Antony Hing, the visit awakened a deeper connection with his Chinese heritage. After returning to Australia, he began reading the Constitution of the Communist Party of China and the Constitution of the People's Republic of China.

Hing said the CPC always "thinks into the future" and he was amazed by "how focused China is on bringing its entire population into the era of modernization."

At the discussion, participants spoke at length about what they had seen and felt in China. Yuan said there was a huge gap between people's real experiences in China and the narratives often presented by Western media.

He said he was determined to continue organizing such study and goodwill tours, so that more Australians could see China with their own eyes. ■