Foreign Entrepreneurs Take Tech Pilgrimages to China

Foreign entrepreneurs and investors are travelling to China to see technology in real life. They visit robot makers, electric-car plants and factories. These trips are not ordinary holidays. Visitors want to learn how Chinese companies build new products.

Some people pay thousands of dollars for a short tour. They can watch machines working and talk to companies. A factory visit can show the size and speed of production in a way that online videos cannot.

Shenzhen is a major stop. The southern Chinese city has electronics markets, hardware suppliers and many technology companies. Foreign founders go there to look for parts, factories and help with a new prototype.