STORY: Life in China in 2023, in eyes of foreign students in Taiyuan
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 30, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 31, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:39
LOCATION: TAIYUAN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of foreign students in Taiyuan
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LUZ BRIZA, Indonesian student
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): CHAPLINA ELENA, Russian student
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): LUZ BRIZA, Indonesian student
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): USSAINI MOHAMMAD MAHDI, Afghan student
6. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): LUZ BRIZA, Indonesian student
7. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ZAKIROVA BERIZA, Kyrgyz student
8. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): USSAINI MOHAMMAD MAHDI, Afghan student
9. SOUNDBITE 8 (English): MUTANGAY JESTEBEN BENI, Congolese student

STORYLINE:

Foreign students living in China's Taiyuan have shared their life in the city in 2023, as well as their expectations for the coming year. 

How was your 2023 in China?

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LUZ BRIZA, Indonesian student
"2023 is such a great year for me, because especially in this year, I've started my observership in a hospital. I've learned so many things in the hospital, and I met so many new friends and so many laoshi (teachers)."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): CHAPLINA ELENA, Russian student
"To be honest, it's been my long dream to come to China and experience this life here, especially student life. I'm very excited that my dream has finally come true. Here, I have found a lot of friends from different countries. I have improved my Chinese and of course I improved my knowledge about China and Chinese culture."

What do you think of China?

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): LUZ BRIZA, Indonesian student
"I can say the technology is so advanced in China, and then the society, all the Chinese people are so warmhearted. Everyone when they meet foreign people or students, they would say hi and they are so kind to us."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): USSAINI MOHAMMAD MAHDI, Afghan student
"I have been in China for 9 years, and Taiyuan has changed a lot. A lot of electric cars are running on the main roads in Taiyuan. I can see that China has made a lot of efforts in environmental protection."
  
What's your expectation for 2024?

SOUNDBITE 5 (English): LUZ BRIZA, Indonesian student
"Next year, it's a new chapter for us, I hope we can do better, I hope we can work hard, I hope we can learn so many things, we can get so much knowledge and everything, and then I also hope in 2024 I can make many friends."
  
SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ZAKIROVA BERIZA, Kyrgyz student
"I want to pursue postgraduate studies or find a job and I still want to stay in China."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): USSAINI MOHAMMAD MAHDI, Afghan student
"I hope that after graduation, I can make some contributions to the friendship of China and Afghanistan."
  
SOUNDBITE 8 (English): MUTANGAY JESTEBEN BENI, Congolese student
"As I started my master's, this is the first year. I'm someone that's like to take things step by step. I know that I have a lot of challenges, that I would try my best.  I wish myself a good year, a good 2024 year, and then I wish it to people all around the world."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Taiyuan, China.
(XHTV)