Chinanews.com, Beijing, December 12 (Tang Weini, Li Jun, Zhang Ziyi, Yang Li) Chen Xuewen is an international student from Thailand, who has lived in China for more than a year and is currently studying at Beijing Jiaotong University. As a student majoring in transportation, he made no secret of his admiration and admiration for China's high-speed rail construction, and expressed his hope that he could become a "bridge" between China and Thailand in the future.
Chen Xuewen is operating experimental equipment.
The "Belt and Road" scholarship helps to come to Beijing
Chen Xuewen said that he came to Beijing to study at university because his parents were former international students in China and could speak fluent Chinese, so he hoped that he would also come to China to study. On the other hand, because he met many Chinese in Thailand, and the interaction with them made Chen Xuewen curious about China.
When he first came up with the idea of studying in China, Chen Xuewen was worried about whether he could afford tuition fees, living expenses and other expenses. Luckily, he discovered the Belt and Road Scholarship Program. "There are many majors to choose from in the Belt and Road Scholarship, and I chose to major in transportation." He said the major was a "good fit" for him. He believes that at present, Thailand's subway construction is gradually on the right track, and the next urgent need for development is high-speed rail, and the degree of development of China's high-speed rail is obvious to all. When it comes to China's high-speed rail, he has a few treasures: "The longest high-speed rail (the world's single operating mileage) is in China. ”
On campus, in addition to studying, Chen Xuewen most often does exchanges with Chinese students and international students from other countries. They learn each other's languages and learn about each other's cultures. In the course of the interaction, Chen Xuewen was deeply impressed by the helpful quality of the Chinese students. Chen Xuewen said that even if he competes with Chinese students in competitions, whenever he encounters problems, Chinese students are willing to help him, introduce him to the relevant process and tell him what he needs to prepare.
Chen Xuewen with other students. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
"China is now my home"
Chen Xuewen has been in China for a year and a half. In addition to Beijing, he has also been to Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and other places. He said he liked Qinhuangdao because there, he could look at the Great Wall and the sea at the same time. He loved the Great Wall of China and was struck by the sense of resilience and strength it conveyed. A while ago, Zibo barbecue swept the country, and Chen Xuewen was not far behind, and quickly went to Zibo to "check in".
Chen Xuewen believes that China's cities have their own advantages, some places can see the mountains, and some places can see the sea. However, his favorite city is still Beijing, because in Beijing he seems to be able to see the epitome of China's excellent traditional culture and feel the clear context of Chinese culture.
Chen Xuewen "checked-in" Wudaoying Hutong. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
When it comes to what he likes most about China, Chen Xuewen seems a little excited: "I like Chinese food the most, I like Peking duck, yellow stewed chicken, beef patties, dumplings, hot pot, barbecue..." He admits that when making tea, he can calm down, just focus on this thing, and forget about his worries and stress. "It takes time to make tea, you have to take your time, and you do everything like that." Chen Xuewen said.
In addition, Chen Xuewen has studied Chinese since he was a child, has a certain understanding of traditional Chinese culture, and likes to read poetry. In front of the camera, he recited Li Bai's "Silent Night Thoughts" for us. He mentioned that reading "Silent Night Thoughts" made him feel homesick, "but I feel that China is also my home now."
Willing to be a "bridge" between China and Thailand
Because of his profession, Chen Xuewen immediately thought of the subway when he recalled the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Thailand. He said that there was no subway in Thailand before, and building a subway was not an easy task for Thailand. Thanks to the radiation of the Belt and Road Initiative, China has sent a professional team to Thailand to help Thailand build subway lines. He told us that if we go to Thailand to take the subway, we will find that there is Chinese in the subway car, and we can hear Chinese announcements at every station.
Chen Xuewen takes the airport subway line in China. Photo by Zhang Ziyi
Talking about his plans after graduation, Chen Xuewen said that he hopes to be a "bridge" for Sino-Thai exchanges and development. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, and Chen Xuewen believes that the Belt and Road Initiative allows countries with different language and cultural backgrounds to give full play to their respective advantages, help each other and develop together. He hopes that more countries will join the Belt and Road Initiative and benefit from it, just as he did. He also sincerely hoped that the relations between China and Thailand would get better and better. (ENDS)