China's fight against COVID-19 pandemic inspires Yemeni student

TIANJIN－Although it's summer vacation, Moohialding Saleh Mohammed al-Kahtani, a Yemeni PhD student, has immersed himself in research materials in his university campus in North China's Tianjin.

The 32-year-old civil engineering major at Tianjin University says he feels the need to accelerate his research work that was delayed in the first half of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the outbreak, the university campus was closed and studies were moved online.

The school has remained open throughout the summer to help students catch up with their academic work.

Al-Kahtani's family of five stayed in China during the epidemic. On Feb 20, he went to a local police station in Tianjin and left a handwritten letter in Chinese along with 500 yuan ($72).

"China is my second home. I know this little money may not make much difference to the anti-epidemic fight, but I do hope you can accept it and contribute the amount to help my dear Wuhan. Let's overcome the difficulties together," he wrote in the letter.

"My wife and I met and fell in love in China. All my three kids were born in China," al-Kahtani says.

He has been living in China since 2009, and his family is accustomed to life here.

"No matter what, we will face and overcome difficulties together with the Chinese people," he says.

Al-Kahtani says his family, like thousands of other families in Tianjin, have complied with the city's epidemic control and prevention guidelines.

"Chinese medics and other front-line 'warriors' have worked extensively to ensure our safety. I cannot be a silent bystander," al-Kahtani says.

The man with a 1-year-old daughter said he was in tears when he saw the photograph of a medical worker wearing a protective suit and holding a baby infected with COVID-19 in her arms.

He recalls how his Chinese friends promptly raised 300,000 yuan through the internet for his surgery after he had a car accident in 2016 in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

"I did not know the names of the donors, but I know they are Chinese," he says. It has always been in his mind to reciprocate the favor.

He shot videos to chronicle all that transpired during China's anti-epidemic fight. He filmed people screening temperatures in markets and sterilizing car tires before entering into the community, and personnel disinfecting elevators. He uploaded the clips on social media platforms.

"I want to record everything so that more people across the world could learn about China's contribution to the global anti-epidemic fight," al-Kahtani says. One of his videos garnered over 700 reposts and more than 1,200 likes.

In one of the videos, his 8-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter extended their blessings and expressed solidarity with China, speaking in fluent Chinese. "We were born and brought up in China, let us overcome the difficulties together. Stay strong, Wuhan. Stay strong, China."

"During the epidemic control period, the university teachers visited my home once a month, and brought me face masks and hand sanitizers," he says.

Al-Kahtani hopes other countries can learn from China's disease control efforts and eradicate the pandemic as soon as possible.

Since the pandemic has not yet ended, al-Kahtani suggested that overseas students in China follow local anti-epidemic guidelines."Protecting ourselves would be our best support to China's epidemic prevention efforts."

"China loves us, and we love China. The feeling is mutual. As an international student, I am willing to make my humble contribution to the anti-epidemic fight. In the future, I aspire to be an outstanding engineer and live a better life in China with my family," al-Kahtani says.

Xinhua