HKU's EMBA students show keen interest in rice noodle industry in Guilin

Over 50 students from the Executive Master of Business Administration program at the University of Hong Kong Business School traveled to Guilin in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region for a three-day field study and industry research trip. 

The focus of their exploration was the development of the rice noodle industry and the growth of the local specialty food industry.

The students, dressed in vibrant athletic wear, participated in a joyful run against the picturesque backdrop of Guilin's mountains and rivers, allowing them to experience the city's natural beauty and ecological charm.

They visited an exhibition highlighting Guilin's achievements in becoming a world-class tourism city. Impressed by the city's ecological environment and integration of culture and tourism, the students expressed optimism about Guilin's potential as a top-tier tourist destination.

The students also engaged in discussions about the achievements and industrial foundations of Guilin's cultural tourism. They conducted case studies on the development of the Guilin rice noodle industry, drawing on their diverse experiences across various fields to offer recommendations for the industry's standardization and branding.

Hu Zhiqiang, chairman of Guilin Huaqiao Rongji Holdings, emphasized the increasing attention on the rice noodle industry, saying the company’s recent investment of 130 million yuan ($18.9 million) and the upcoming launch of an intelligent marinade workshop.

A "World's Largest Marinade Pot" is also being crafted in preparation for the March-the-Third Festival,  the most important traditional festival for the Zhuang ethnic group of Guangxi, which occurs on March 3 in the lunar calendar, promising an exciting spectacle, Hu said.