A great fanfare, with gifts to usher in the new year

BEIJING, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China Daily:

As the lunar year comes to an end, we move into the new year with a spring in our step and to much fanfare. Over the past year China hosted many diplomatic events, bringing together friends both old and new. This echoes the fact that as China seeks to grow in a mature way it heartily embraces the world. When friends from around the world arrive in China there’s always a warm welcome.

The eighth episode of the third season of Youth Power, “Timeless Tales From China”, was broadcast on Jan 30. Gen Zers from Australia, Bulgaria, China, Russia, South Korea, Somalia and the United Kingdom gathered for a new year gala. They told stories about China through mysterious gift exchanges, at the same time forging closer relationships.

The Gen Z guests talked of their countries’ new-year customs and of their hopes for the year ahead. The most anticipated Chinese New Year gift for these young people was the red envelope. During gift exchanges, the phrase “drink hot water” resonated strongly as Daniel Trevor Walsh, a British student studying in Beijing, advocated exactly that, and it became clear that Chinese vacuum flasks and tea have become staple items for many Gen Zers.

The gift exchange reminded guests of the prominence of Chinese culture and of “made in China” products worldwide. In addition to well-received international brands such as BYD, Oppo, Xiaomi and DJI, Chinese-style fashion is also attracting increasing attention. Jood Sharaf, from Bulgaria, presented a Chinese-patterned wood-carved handbag, pointing out that Chinese-style makeup is gaining popularity through platforms such as TikTok and Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book). Chinese food is also very popular. Yehyoung Jun, a Korean, and also studying at Tsinghua, said that dishes such as mapo tofu, spicy hot pot and sugar-coated haws are widely loved in South Korea.

Kirill Kravtsov, a Russian who specializes in Asian and African studies and is studying at Peking University, said: “Russia has started to buy many more Chinese cars, and in particular, electric cars, because Russia wasn’t doing that well in terms of decarbonization.”

Daniel Dunn, a businessman from Australia, said: “Chinese speed has changed my perspective on how long it can take to do things. In Australia, building or getting approvals can take a really long time.”

Uwanyirigira Gihana Sandrine, from Rwanda who is studying at Beijing Jiaotong University, said China has made significant contributions to the supply chain and global economic growth. China is renowned for its e-commerce, and many Rwandans use Alibaba, she said. “China opened the doors for thousands of international students to take the knowledge back to their countries. In Africa 90 percent of construction companies are Chinese.”

Abdishakur Ahmed Jama, who is also studying at Beijing Jiaotong University, said: “Rapid growth of the Chinese economy and development has contributed to all of the world. This advanced technology makes life easy. You can buy things from the other side of the world while you are sitting in your room now.”

Kirill Kravtsov said China’s most significant contribution is infrastructure, and Chinese investment is not solely for profit. For various issues, China provides cost-effective solutions for developing countries. Mechanisms established by China help developing countries express their needs and have a voice in international affairs, Kravtsov said.

Jood Sharaf said China is becoming more involved in global governance, for example with the Belt and Road Initiative, the Digital Silk Road and the Health Silk Road.

Youth Power, organized by China Daily and first broadcast in June 2021, aims to build a global platform of communication and exchange, focusing on the interests and ideas of Generation Z. The program comes in the form of interviews, forums and speeches, with topics related to anything of current interest in the world.

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