Picturesque metropolis draws visitors from around the planet

Shariful Islam, a doctoral candidate in journalism and communications at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, said he has experienced wonderful times in Wuhan.

A former Xinhua photojournalist in the Bangladesh branch for six years, he is sensitive to major events, and always shows up to capture life's key moments.

At this moment, Islam is also a popular portrait photographer among international students at the Chinese university.

He captures the milestones of student life for hundreds of overseas student colleagues with his camera, for example, students donning graduation gowns and posing with their degree certificates in front of the school gate.

He also captures exotic dances presented by students from around the world at the school's international cultural festival.

Islam is also active socially after class and engages in many city events, such as the dragon boat racing.

He said that the local people are friendly to expatriates and cheerfully pose for photos.

"I am trying to capture the essence of Chinese people through the lens. I find the daily activities of Chinese people very interesting," he said.

"I am fascinated with Chinese culture and I hope more foreigners will have a better understanding of China when they view my photos."

In Islam's view, East Lake is the most photogenic spot in town, thanks to its charming historic architecture and breathtaking location, flanked by Moshan Mountains on one side and a vast lake on the other.

East Lake is the largest urban lake in China and is surrounded by a greenway trail stretching 101 kilometers.

To protect the lake, motor vehicles have been banned within the area; only pedestrians and cyclists are allowed to enter. Animal passages have been carefully placed at strategic locations.

Now, the areas along the East Lake Greenway, which were built with city resources, have become places for people from home and abroad to enjoy.

Evening visits are highly recommended because the vast lake looks particularly spectacular at sunset.

Wuhan is becoming increasingly appealing to expatriates as it is one of China's key educational and technological centers. The city now has a total of 89 universities and colleges and 1.3 million students studying there. Among them, there are 8,544 international students from over 200 countries.

Huazhong University of Science and Technology is one of China's top-flight universities.

Its programs in science, technology and medicine have attracted 2,285 foreign students to study here.

(China Daily 12/26/2018 page6)