By Tang Xiaofeng and

Xing Zhijie

In early May, Ke Shan, an international student who graduated from Nantong College of Science and Technology, got on the plane back to his hometown in Indonesia. When the campus where he had stayed for two years, became a coordinate point on the map, Ke Shan could only look through the photos on his mobile phone to reminisce.

This summer, Nantong College of Science and Technology welcomed and bid farewell to another group of international students. Since 2016, School of International Education of Nantong College of Science and Technology has admitted more than 400 international students from 13 ‘the Belt and Road’ partner countries.

In the spring of 2023, 11 Indonesian students from Nantong College of Science and Technology flew to China together. Ke Shan recalled that day, it was sunny and he was ‘excited’. In the past, his impression of China was limited to the ‘Chinese Kung Fu’ in the movies. Now, he has climbed the Great Wall and seen the power of modern technology in the drone light show on the South Street in Nantong. He exclaimed ‘This is China!’, and even fell in love with Chinese characters during the calligraphy classes at school.

It is the 8th year since Rui He came to China. Now pursuing his graduate studies at Tongji University in Shanghai, he still misses the three years he spent studying at Nantong College of Science and Technology. Even though he has travelled to places including Xi’an, Guangzhou, and Beijing, he still has a special fondness for Nantong. ‘My first stop in China was Nantong. It is my “second hometown”, and Nantong College of Science and Technology is my “second home”.’

For Rui He, the three years when he was studying in Nantong, were colourful and enriching. Almost every weekend, he would go out to play with his teachers and classmates. Nantong Museum, Nantong Blue Calico Museum, Hao River, Langshan...Their joyful presence could be seen everywhere.

At Tongji University, he led more than 100 exchange students from European countries such as Germany and France to places including Nanjing, Suzhou and Hangzhou, to appreciate the beauty of China. ‘I will continue to use Chinese that I have learnt, to introduce China to the world!’

‘Welcome to the daily life vlog of an international student!’ From the first short video on 4th October 2023, Naya has uploaded more than 260 works, and has become a well-known social media blogger in the school.

‘You speak Chinese very well, come on.’ ‘I will come to the country!’ ‘Chinese sounds good.’ ‘I will hang out with you next time I come to Nantong.’ ‘We can learn Chinese together.’... Countless comments have encouraged her to continue to create works. ‘I would be honored if I could let more people know about China!’ Naya said.

‘I will remember the gift from China forever!’ Mi Zan, who has already returned to Bangladesh for work, still treasures a gift from 2020——a canvas bag with panda patterns, a traditional flower and bird embroidery work and a letter of appreciation. In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, international student Mi Zan chose to stay in China to continue his studies. He used his scholarship to buy Covid-19 test kits and masks and sent them back to his hometown, and was awarded the ‘Best Friend Award’ by Embassy of China in Bangladesh.

‘Nantong is a beautiful city. Here, the “small dream” of an Indonesian village girl has grown into ‘a great hope’...’ On 18th July 2024, Indonesian student Yu Jie got on the stage of a speech contest, and told her story with Nantong.

As an international student from International E-commerce Major, Yu Jie not only studied economic theory and e-commerce knowledge, but also understood the true meaning of cross-border cooperation. She witnessed the opportunities brought to the nation’s economy by booming trade exchanges under the ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative. ‘Initially, I felt adrift in a different culture. However, behind all the differences, I found out that trust is the universal language that connects hearts. This is the essence of the “Belt and Road” Initiative: building bridges between hearts and countries.’ She hopes that when she returns to her motherland with more knowledge and experience, she can use her own strength to build the bond of trust between countries.