My Memory of China｜Central Asian student who received Xi's reply letter: Honored to witness China's development

By Huang Fang

(ECNS) -- "When President Xi replied to us, he encouraged us to serve as envoys of friendship and bridges of cooperation. His words inspired us and we feel committed to fulfilling that role," said Rahman Bayramdurdyyev, a Central Asian student who received a reply letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping. He is also the Wang Tao Talent Scholarship recipient and the Teaching Secretary at College of International Education, China University of Petroleum-Beijing. 

On the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), he shared his study and work experiences in China during an interview with China News Network, recounting his unique memories of witnessing China's rapid development. 

Rahman recalled that he organized a letter from Central Asian students at China University of Petroleum-Beijing to President Xi in 2023, and soon they received a reply. "I was thrilled! I didn't even know how to express my feelings in words," said Rahman, vividly remembering the excitement of that moment. 

In the letter, the Central Asian students described their experiences studying in China and expressed their determination to study hard, strengthen cooperation, and contribute to building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. 

"We wanted to express our gratitude to President Xi for providing us with such great opportunities and learning conditions. And we shared with him our stories of growing and learning in China," Rahman mentioned in the interview. 

Rahman has witnessed significant changes in China, as he has lived in China for 14 years. He noted that back in 2010, when he first arrived in Beijing, cash and credit cards were necessary for daily life. While today, "we can see everyone using WeChat for payments," he pointed out that WeChat Pay and even facial recognition technology have become the norm. 

"Although I have been in China for 14 years, I still feel that there is always more to learn here," he said. 

"China has an incredibly long history and rich culture," Rahman expressed his appreciation for Chinese culture during the interview, adding "Even if I learn something new every day, a lifetime wouldn’t be enough to get to know everything." 

"If you don't have time or can't get a ticket, you can enjoy virtual tours provided by many museums." He specifically mentioned that, thanks to the rapid technological development, digital museums and libraries have emerged in recent years, allowing people worldwide to access and understand China's rich culture. 

"I think this is an area where China excels," he emphasized. 

When sharing his experience pursuing a doctoral degree and working at China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Rahman expressed a deep affection for Beijing, saying "I believe Beijing is truly a cultural center of the nation. There have been more and more cultural events recently." 

"If there are more events like these in the future, I hope to participate even more and hope that more foreigners can join as well," Rahman concluded. "In this way, they can understand China as deeply as I do, or even more."