STORY: "For me, China has a bright future," says Indonesian scholar
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 6, 2023
DATELINE: Jan. 4, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:38
LOCATION: Jakarta
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of China
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Indonesian): KAULA FAHMI, Lecturer, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Indonesian): KAULA FAHMI, Lecturer, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta

STORYLINE:

Awarded a Chinese government scholarship in 2018, Kaula Fahmi from Indonesia studied at a university in southwest China's Chongqing municipality.

He said his stay in China has completely changed the previous views he held about the country.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Indonesian): KAULA FAHMI, Lecturer, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta 
"First, I visited Chongqing. Then, I visited Shanghai, and then Hangzhou. I also visited Suzhou later. I've also visited Sichuan and Chengdu. 
In fact, I saw the progress in infrastructure, technology, and the level of comfort, which had changed completely my previous imagination about China that people had told me about.  
So there was a change in my outlook before I went there and after I got there. 
In remote places, public transportation like light rail transit or metro is available." 

During his stay in China, Kaula Fahmi also found that the Chinese society embraces diversity and inclusion.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Indonesian): KAULA FAHMI, Lecturer, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta
"As a muslim, I was impressed that on every campus, there was a halal canteen and a halal restaurant. There was also information about the mosque. It's available for us to worship. One day during the Eid al-Fitr, I was there, and my Laoshi (teacher) at that time permitted us not to attend the class because we were carrying out a routine of worship. For me, that's a sign of inclusiveness, giving us the freedom to celebrate big holidays. I felt safe and comfortable. 
I have plans to continue my studies there, my Ph.D. or doctoral studies. Because for me, China has a bright future." 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Jakarta.
(XHTV)