My China Story | Deiniol Brown

I’m Deiniol from the UK, and reflecting on my decision to study at Yenching Academy, it seems in different ways both circumstantial and inevitable that I would follow this path in studying China.

Firstly, my interest in China and China studies began as an undergraduate at Durham University where I took courses on Asian history and political economy, mostly out of curiosity and an urge to explore new subjects. Through these courses, I found a deeper interest, which drove my decision to apply to a year studying abroad. Although not initially my first choice (which was UBC in Canada) I ended up studying at the University of Hong Kong, where I not only immersed myself in China Studies through lectures by leading scholars, but where I also came into contact with China for the first time. I was lucky to visit many cities in China during this year and spent three weeks travelling the country on my own. This cemented an interest in China, as a country with a complex society and huge variety that is unique in many ways.

Although these experiences were not planned, or pursued with absolute conviction on my part, I also feel like I have been drawn towards the study of China on another level. As China’s ‘rise’ in the global political order has become more central to understanding our world, I have recognised the need to engage with China as a student of international relations. I also feel that China is one of the most consistently misunderstood actors in global politics, and this warrants more engagement from those in countries like the UK. For these reasons, I think it may make sense that I have chosen this path, as I live in a world that needs more of the kind of cooperation that the Yenching Academy provides.

Through this experience I hope to gain a greater appreciation for China, its people and culture, and an insight into the unique system that China functions under. At the same time I will aim to learn as much as possible from the excellent academics at Peking University, to foster better understanding between China and the UK.