I am writing from the back of a minibus in Chongqing this week, the mountainous mega city in southwestern China.

It’s the largest city in the world — by population — a fact I should have known, but like so much about this extraordinary country I am not alone is being seriously under-informed.

Chongqing has developed at warp speed and is now the world’s largest laptop producer and China’s biggest car manufacturer, among many other firsts and biggests.

I would have come to the end of my week-long visit (organised and funded by the Chinese Government) by the time you read this. I look forward to bringing you more in the weeks and months ahead.

Last Friday, we walked through the Sanfeng recycling plant, which takes raw material, in all forms, and makes it into many useful products, including building materials and power that pumps straight back into the grid. It was a mind-boggling operation.

A constant stream of trucks brings the waste, from over 31 million residents, and puts it all to good use.

In the week in which China issued an emissions reduction target at the UN, it makes me wonder why we are not taking advantage of advances already made in China.

Sanfeng exports its technology and plants to many nations across the across the globe. Australia is not one of them.

Since I last visited 24 months ago, there have been noticeable changes.

For a start, most cars on the road, at least in major centres, are electric – not hybrid, fully electric. And it is easy to tell. The number plates are green. Old petrol cars have blue plates.

You often read in P&I that Australian’s mainstream media is not doing well enough in its reporting of China. And that is certainly true.

But what I saw — while travelling with journalist colleagues — is that China is a story. Not one story, but hundreds of stories. And that there is so much for us all to learn from better mutual understanding.

Until next week.