By Shen Liang

In Ethiopia which is close to 9000 km away from Nantong, a Haimen person called Fang Lei was preparing dishes for the Chinese New Year.

In 2015, Fang Lei went to Ethiopia and founded Hua Fang shoes Co., Ltd. In 2018, the company produced 10 million pairs of slippers and boots of various types in Ethiopia, became a new star of local shoe manufacture industry. In 2018, Fang Lei founded Sheng Da plastic Co., Ltd, which produces 8000 tons plastic particles per year and has made contributions to environmental protection and acquisition of foreign currency. Now, as the president of local Nantong chamber of commerce, he unites Nantong people who are in Ethiopia and provides help and supports for them.

On 23 January, Fang Lei said, ‘this Spring Festival, the Chinese people in the two factories who have not returned home will gather to have a meal, drink and celebrate. Although the spring festival in Ethiopia has not much atmosphere, but a group of Chinese people can cook a few hometown delicacies together, watch the spring festival gala evening of CCTV, greet family members by phone call, all of these can let us feel a bit of atmosphere of the spring festival.’

When asked what he wanted to say to his family in the spring festival, Fang Lei said, ‘I hope that I can have more time to accompany you.’