(Sichuan, 25th) Bouquets made of wormwood hang outside the door, and steamy red bean and pepper salt zongzi are on the dining table... On the morning of the 25th, after taking photos filled with "Dragon Boat Festival elements" in Chengdu, Sichuan and sharing them with his mother in faraway Egypt, Egyptian young man Shi Xiaolong didn't forget to attach two news updates happening near his home—the launch of the HarmonyOS computer and the opening of the 20th Western China International Fair.
"When I was in Egypt, people often said China is the 'world factory,' because you can see 'Made in China' on many goods, and everyone around the world wants to do business with China." Having lived in Sichuan for seven years, Shi Xiaolong says that his time in China has shown him that China is not just a "world factory" but also an "Innovation Center" and a "Global Market."
Shi Xiaolong's original name is Abdelaziz Ramadan. During his studies at Fayoum University in Egypt, out of curiosity for Chinese culture, he chose to study Chinese as a second language and gave himself a meaningful Chinese name "Shi Xiaolong"—"hoping his Chinese would be as formidable as Bruce Lee's kung fu."
After graduating from university, Shi Xiaolong resolutely came to Sichuan to "venture." After working in Zigong for several years, he moved to Qingbaijiang District in Chengdu, becoming a kindergarten English teacher. Now, not only can Shi Xiaolong speak fluent Mandarin, but during conversations with reporters, words like "anyi" (comfortable), "bashi" (great), and "bailongmenzhen" (chat) in Sichuan dialect come easily to him.
Egypt was the first Arab country and African nation to establish diplomatic relations with New China, and one of the first to join the Belt and Road initiative. "I watched Chinese movies and listened to Chinese songs during my childhood, and at that time I naively thought that every Chinese person was skilled in kung fu and that all were ping-pong masters." Shi Xiaolong recalls that as a child, he often asked his teacher to repeatedly tell stories about pandas and the Great Wall, while in a kindergarten in Chengdu, Chinese children ask him to share stories about the Egyptian pyramids, mummies, and the Nile River.
Upon arriving in Sichuan, Shi Xiaolong gradually realized that not every Chinese person can do kung fu or play ping-pong, but this hasn't diminished his love for this country with its 5,000 years of rich history. He's learned to distinguish between "ma" (numbing) and "la" (spicy), adapted to Chengdu's fast-paced yet leisurely lifestyle, and fallen in love with the festive foods and decorations that Chinese people embrace during different holidays like Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival.
The Qingbaijiang District in Chengdu, where Shi Xiaolong lives, is located in inland China. Though it's not on the border or by the sea, it connects over 150 domestic and international cities through the international freight network of the Chengdu International Railway Port, achieving "buy globally" and "sell globally."
"Many products don't need to be purchased on e-commerce platforms; you can easily find specialties from over 30 countries in the nearby YaRongOu national (goods) pavilion," Shi Xiaolong says. Almost every month, electronic products and new energy vehicles made in Sichuan are sent to Europe and Central Asia via the China-Europe freight trains from Qingbaijiang District. These "China-made intelligence" products are showcasing a new image of China to the world.
From Shi Xiaolong's perspective, Chinese transportation is a microcosm of China's innovation and vitality—he has ridden a high-speed train designed for speeds of 350 km/h, taken a cross-province bus between Sichuan and Chongqing, and experienced metro stations where you can enter by scanning a QR code with your phone. "These scenes, so familiar to Chinese people, continually amaze me."
With the implementation of facilitative measures for foreigners in China regarding transportation, shopping, payment, and accommodation, more and more foreigners are coming to travel in China, and even to settle down and start families. Shi Xiaolong plans to go back to Egypt in August this year and bring his mother to live with him in Chengdu. "Two years ago, my mother and brother visited Chengdu as tourists, and compared to that time, China has seen more new developments, and I can't wait for them to see it."
"When I was in Egypt, people often said China is the 'world factory,' because you can see 'Made in China' on many goods, and everyone around the world wants to do business with China." Having lived in Sichuan for seven years, Shi Xiaolong says that his time in China has shown him that China is not just a "world factory" but also an "Innovation Center" and a "Global Market."
Shi Xiaolong's original name is Abdelaziz Ramadan. During his studies at Fayoum University in Egypt, out of curiosity for Chinese culture, he chose to study Chinese as a second language and gave himself a meaningful Chinese name "Shi Xiaolong"—"hoping his Chinese would be as formidable as Bruce Lee's kung fu."
After graduating from university, Shi Xiaolong resolutely came to Sichuan to "venture." After working in Zigong for several years, he moved to Qingbaijiang District in Chengdu, becoming a kindergarten English teacher. Now, not only can Shi Xiaolong speak fluent Mandarin, but during conversations with reporters, words like "anyi" (comfortable), "bashi" (great), and "bailongmenzhen" (chat) in Sichuan dialect come easily to him.
Egypt was the first Arab country and African nation to establish diplomatic relations with New China, and one of the first to join the Belt and Road initiative. "I watched Chinese movies and listened to Chinese songs during my childhood, and at that time I naively thought that every Chinese person was skilled in kung fu and that all were ping-pong masters." Shi Xiaolong recalls that as a child, he often asked his teacher to repeatedly tell stories about pandas and the Great Wall, while in a kindergarten in Chengdu, Chinese children ask him to share stories about the Egyptian pyramids, mummies, and the Nile River.
Upon arriving in Sichuan, Shi Xiaolong gradually realized that not every Chinese person can do kung fu or play ping-pong, but this hasn't diminished his love for this country with its 5,000 years of rich history. He's learned to distinguish between "ma" (numbing) and "la" (spicy), adapted to Chengdu's fast-paced yet leisurely lifestyle, and fallen in love with the festive foods and decorations that Chinese people embrace during different holidays like Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival.
The Qingbaijiang District in Chengdu, where Shi Xiaolong lives, is located in inland China. Though it's not on the border or by the sea, it connects over 150 domestic and international cities through the international freight network of the Chengdu International Railway Port, achieving "buy globally" and "sell globally."
"Many products don't need to be purchased on e-commerce platforms; you can easily find specialties from over 30 countries in the nearby YaRongOu national (goods) pavilion," Shi Xiaolong says. Almost every month, electronic products and new energy vehicles made in Sichuan are sent to Europe and Central Asia via the China-Europe freight trains from Qingbaijiang District. These "China-made intelligence" products are showcasing a new image of China to the world.
From Shi Xiaolong's perspective, Chinese transportation is a microcosm of China's innovation and vitality—he has ridden a high-speed train designed for speeds of 350 km/h, taken a cross-province bus between Sichuan and Chongqing, and experienced metro stations where you can enter by scanning a QR code with your phone. "These scenes, so familiar to Chinese people, continually amaze me."
With the implementation of facilitative measures for foreigners in China regarding transportation, shopping, payment, and accommodation, more and more foreigners are coming to travel in China, and even to settle down and start families. Shi Xiaolong plans to go back to Egypt in August this year and bring his mother to live with him in Chengdu. "Two years ago, my mother and brother visited Chengdu as tourists, and compared to that time, China has seen more new developments, and I can't wait for them to see it."