Right at home
| Mohanad Ali Moh'd Shalabi puts up a billboard of President Xi Jinping's speech - in which he was mentioned - delivered at the sixth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum at the door of his restaurant in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photos by Lyu Bin / China Daily |
| Mohanad reads Arabic media reports about a speech in which Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned him. |
A Jordanian man finds a new life and love as part of a growing Arab community in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Photographer Lyu Bin captures the merchant's daily routine in the city.
In a recent speech in Beijing about China-Arab cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the story of Jordanian merchant Mohanad Ali Moh'd Shalabi who runs an Arabian restaurant in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. He has not only seen business flourishing but also love blossoming, Xi said.
In Yiwu, Mohanad was so excited at hearing the news that he immediately shared the president's quote on WeChat, China's most popular instant messaging app, and harvested dozens of "likes" within hours. The 36-year-old Mohanad is quite well-known to both Arabs and Chinese in Yiwu.
He first came to China in 2000 and worked in an Arabic restaurant in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. He fell in love with Liu Fang from Anhui province, who soon became his wife. The marriage has rooted him to China, he says.
The couple started their own business in 2002 by taking over the Arabic restaurant of his uncle. They gave it a new name "Ward", which means rose in Arabic and symbolizes happiness and peace. A white flower, the symbol of the restaurant, is hung on the bar counter, and the walls are decorated with the image. The business has grown so well that Mohanad now owns a trading company as well.
Mohanad's family is flourishing too, as he has two sons born in Yiwu, who now attend local primary schools. A hospitable man, Mohanad has made lots of friends among both the Chinese and Arab communities, and he is considering purchasing an apartment.
Mohanad is one of more than 4,000 Arab businessmen rooted in Yiwu. Famous for producing small items for daily use, Yiwu has business connections with the whole world, especially with the Arab states. The city sees over 100,000 Arab visitors annually, and there are already Arab communities.
"We feel at home here," says an Arab businessman, who hopes that ties between China and the Arab world can expand for the common good of both sides.
newsphoto2008@126.com
| Mohanad with his wife Liu Fang and their sons Liu Feixiang, 12, and Liu Yi, 9, in front of his restaurant. |
| Mohanad participates in a match between Jordanian and Chinese soccer teams formed to celebrate the World Cup. |
| Mohanad and his business partners select goods for their outbound trading business in Yiwu, his second hometown. |
| Mohanad and his friends attend a religious service in a Yiwu mosque. |
(China Daily Africa Weekly 07/11/2014 page4)
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