Students band together to promote stay in China

NANCHANG－"I want to bring high-speed railways, express delivery, lunar exploration projects, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and 5G technology back to my hometown. The Belt and Road Initiative connects you and me."

These are the lyrics of a song performed by a band of foreign students from Nanchang Hangkong University in East China's Jiangxi province.

The band currently has four main members, all of whom are foreign students from countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. They are Mnyaga Daniel Rukiko on the keyboard, who hails from Tanzania, Zambian Abel Jacob Chulu on the bass and Isaiah Nyasha Chikomo on drums and Audrey Tanaka Murungweni on vocals, who are both from Zimbabwe.

Rukiko currently studies aeronautical engineering at the university. He got his first impression of China from the China-aided Tanzania-Zambia Railway, which has made a significant contribution to the social and economic development of Tanzania and Zambia since its opening in 1976.

"Moreover, a series of Belt and Road projects have brought tangible benefits to my home country," he says.

Chulu, Rukiko's classmate, says that the new terminal of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, built by a Chinese company, was put into operation in Zambia's capital city Lusaka last year. In their country, there are many similar China-aided infrastructure projects.

Murungweni, the lead singer, says the newly completed parliament building in Zimbabwe was built with the help of Chinese enterprises. "The new parliament building is magnificent and very impressive, and that is one of the reasons why I wanted to come to China to study civil engineering," says Murungweni.

To them, forming a band is not only a hobby, but also a platform to enable people to gain a deeper understanding of China.

Ever since Chulu came to China in 2012, he has been obsessed with traditional Chinese culture and began learning Chinese and Chinese songs. Later he tried to fuse Zambian music into Chinese songs.

Drummer Chikomo also adapted a well-known Chinese folk song, Jasmine, by adding some Zimbabwean-style drumbeats. "I didn't expect it to be so popular with young people," Chikomo says.

They have put everything they experienced in China into their music. Videos of their performances have gained wide attention on social media.

"We hope to show our real life in China through these videos so that more people can learn about Chinese culture and the country's rapid development," says Rukiko.

Xie Hua, director of the international office of Nanchang Hangkong University, says the band was founded in 2013. Former members include students from India, Bangladesh, South Africa and other countries and regions.

Xinhua