Live up to Chinese spirit

[Pakistan] Hafeezullah Qazi, Northwestern Polytechnical University

When I knew that I was about to leave for China, I was so excited because of strong joy and high expectation, despite there are some concerns about future life, culture and opportunities of this unknown country.

I came from Karachi, a port city of Pakistan. In the fall of 2019, I arrived at this wonderful land full of scientific and technological miracles. It has a splendid social culture, beautiful natural scenery, long and charming history and stable politics full of vitality. Here, I have witnessed the impact of efficient political leadership on all aspects of life, including fair and perfect legal system, happy people, spontaneous social responsibility, fully guaranteed human rights, portable and efficient mobile payments and effective poverty alleviation.

China’s achievements in technology are obvious and can be called scientific and technological miracles. When I returned to my home country and talked to my friends, I often compared China’s economy with the “QR code” economy. Even developed countries have to admire China’s convenience and efficiency in economic and financial affairs. It is amazing that China’s huge financial system is based on honesty.

I still remember the first time I paid with Alipay in a convenience store. I was surprised that the owner didn’t ask if I had paid, so I naively asked my Chinese friend. His answer surprised me, “Why did he bother to think you didn’t pay it?” In China, the whole payment system is “self-driven”; the public’s integrity and social responsibility are the driving force of the whole financial payment system.

A few months after we came to China, something unfortunately happened – the COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges to the world. A country’s power and governance ability can only be truly shown in the face of a disaster. As a volunteer in fighting the epidemic, I have personally felt the strength, tenacity and unity of China, people’s trust in the government and people’s compliance with discipline and law. It is because of these virtues that over 1.4 billion Chinese people can unite and take the lead in the global victory against the epidemic, setting an example for the rest of the world.

Study in China has not only played a great role in my personal development, but also prompted me to adopt a healthier lifestyle. When I first came to China, I was on the edge of obesity; but in China, I returned to a healthy shape and even completed the marathon, which is another big bonus. Last fall, some of our friends who are in poor health participated in the Xi’an Marathon; we climbed seven kilometers of mountain road and finally arrived the top, which is 1,000 meters above the sea level. I can never forget that the brave, resolute people we met on the road, even if they felt uncomfortable, they still refused to give up for the team and for this competition.

After completing this race, I felt my mind liberated from all invisible chains; since then my passion for hiking, running, cycling and fitness has been ignited. Driven by this enthusiasm, I hiked to climb mountains and visited many scenic spots in the Qinling Mountains; I participated in many online and offline marathons and won four more marathon medals, which I hung them in my home to decorate my house. Whenever I see these medals, the restless motivation and enthusiasm will fill my heart.

These experiences in China have not only helped me a lot, but also benefited my family, especially my own toddler. Despite some language barriers, he was loved by kindergarten teachers and neighbours. My child plays in parks, amusement parks and gardens with Chinese children; I believe that he must miss China more than I do in the future.

This beautiful journey in China is coming to an end. I will continue to pass on what I saw and heard in China through social media. I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to my Chinese friends. They have encouraged me by hard working for China’s prosperity; Finally, as an international student, I feel very happy to spend the best two years in my life on this land. I will remember those beautiful memories and Chinese spirit, and never forget my original aspiration on the road to pursue my dream!

The story is from "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Competition organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (CSCSE).