A team, composed of 20-plus foreign students at Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU), is completing a video-shooting project, entitled "On a Great Path." The videos focus on China's rapid development in infrastructure construction, especially the development of its railways. The videos will show the great changes that have taken place in China — through the lenses of foreign students, who are studying and living in China.

Pilipchak Alexey is from Russia. He is the director and cameraman of the short-video series, "On a Great Path." Alexey prefers others to call him by his Chinese name, Li Kexi. Li developed an interest in photography when he was in high school. He says joining the videoshooting project has given him more opportunities to learn about, and better understand, China.

The project began at the end of March. Liu Yanqing, dean of BJTU's College of International Education, says "On a Great Path" combines China's development in infrastructure construction, in particular, China's rapid development in railway transportation, with the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. "The short videos produced by our foreign students pass on their positive energy, tell stories about China from their points of view, and make the world better understand China," Liu says.

Learning Process

Development of the railways reflects the development of transportation in modern China, Li says. China's railway system has had an unprecedented leap forward, and China's railways will continue expanding and raising its transportation speed, he adds. During the process of preparing and formally shooting the short videos, BJTU and its teachers provided considerable support and assistance to the foreign students. Li is happy he has gained a deeper understanding of China's history and culture by taking part in the project.

"If I am asked to pick the most impressive episode from this series, I will say the video about 'red vest,' or the volunteers," Li says. One episode depicts the spirit of volunteers who have served in grand events in Beijing, such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "Today, we often see the word 'volunteer,' but many of us normally do not think about the significance of this word. When a person helps others, say helps a stranger, it means a change of attitude from 'benefitting oneself' to 'benefitting others.' Those who have honesty and grand love, deep in their hearts, volunteer to help others," he says.

The spirit of volunteers has impressed Li, especially during the fight against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Li's roommate and some other students, who stayed on campus, took turns, every day, fetching the items foreign students had purchased online. Students from more than 50 countries, who stayed on campus during the period of China's anti-epidemic fight, did not need to leave the university to buy what they wanted. "If everyone volunteers to do something for others, our world will develop harmoniously. I believe this is also the original goal of China's proposals on the Belt and Road Initiative, and the community with a shared future for mankind. I am willing to be a person filled with love, and to be a person who passes love to others," Li says.

Bondar Polina is another team member from Russia. When the team was shooting a video about the subways in Beijing, a teacher took the students to visit a company that had achieved great progress in the development of the operation system for subway transportation. Polina used to live on BJTU's sub-campus in Weihai, a city in East China's Shandong Province. "Last year, it took me more than six hours to travel by train from Weihai to Beijing, or the trip back. Now, the one-way trip from Weihai to Beijing can be as fast as four hours and 18 minutes. I am truly surprised by the speed of China's development in railway transportation," Polina says.

Lumuemue Tokombe Voldie, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is also impressed by China's railway development. "The railway network guarantees fast and efficient transportation in modern China. I have learned more about China's transportation progress during communications with our senior professors," Voldie says.

He was excited when he reviewed the earliest history of railway development in China. He had an opportunity to sit in the driver's cabin of a high-speed train. The cabin had been built in a laboratory on the Beijing campus of BJTU.

Falling in Love

Taganova Gurbantuvak, who goes by the Chinese name Tang Yihong, is from Turkmenistan. "I left my home after I was 18. Some people have asked me if I am lonely or if I feel helpless when I am away from my parents and from my home country. I have to say, 'I don't have such feelings so far.' For me, China is my home away from home. Everyone I have met here is warmhearted. I am falling in love with this second home of mine," Tang says.

Li says he has witnessed the changes that have taken place in China, year by year. "In the past few years, mobile payment has developed from scratch to today. The majority of Chinese no longer take a wallet when they go shopping, because they all pay online by mobile phones. People are enjoying the convenience brought by technology innovation. Online shopping has developed in China over just a dozen years. Regarding the quality of services and the efficiency of delivery, China's online shopping has been among the advanced level, as compared with other countries," Li explains.

Polina admires Chinese culture, which has a long history and profound meaning. When she was staying in dorm last year, she learned from her Chinese friends how to play Chinese chess. "The rules of Chinese chess share some similarities with that of chess. However, they look different. It's a challenging game to play Chinese chess," Polina says. Chinese culture reflects Chinese people's thoughts and sense of value. Polina adds she is moved by the importance most Chinese attach to their families, the love Chinese have for their country, and the respect they have for others. The longer she lives in China, the deeper is her understanding of the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, promoted by the Chinese Government. "The concept of 'a community with a shared future for mankind' reflects China's wisdom and the country's emphasis on respect, inclusiveness and mutual learning," Polina explains.

When asked about his impression of China, Voldie quotes a saying, "Without the Communist Party of China, there would be no New China." During the two years he has studied in China, he has been fascinated by the "beauty" of China. "I am fascinated by China's development. In my eyes, China is the country that develops fastest in the world. I am also fascinated by the unique Chinese culture, and China's determination on the protection of historical sites and relics," Voldie says.

Photos supplied by Zhang Jiamin and He Guanxin

(Women of China English Monthly November 2021 issue)