By Liao Bowen

“I now think more about my role in the sustainable development of ASEAN and China,” declared Alex Soon, a student from Brunei, at the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Youth Camp to China 2018 on October 8.He believes that close ties and cooperation between ASEAN countries and China will contribute to common prosperity.

Youth exchange is an important part of people-topeople and cultural exchanges.This year marks the 15th anniversary of the ASEANChina strategic partnership.Over the last 15 years, more and more young people from ASEAN countries have come to China to make field investigations,participate in student exchange,and explore the country with their own eyes.

Alex Soon is now enrolled at Tsinghua University and seeking a master’s degree in engineering management.After graduation from Queen’s University Belfast, he worked in the oil industry for a few years before coming to China for further studies.

Alex Soon, a Bruneian student studying in China.

On why he chose China,Soon revealed: “My ancestors were from Fujian Province. My elders paid a lot of attention to the development here.This legacy gave me some understanding of China since childhood, which was a key factor in my decision.”

Enjoyable Experience

Soon had a hard time adjusting when he first arrived.He grew up in Brunei and studied in Northern Ireland—China is a populous country,and Beijing’s population density is much higher than Belfast or Bandar Seri Begawan.

“Brunei has a population of just 500,000 in the whole country,” he illustrated. “I was shocked by the crowds in Beijing when I first arrived.Everywhere you go in the city there are lots of people. Eating out is not easy, because you often have to wait in a queue to get a seat. I’ve waited in lines as long as two hours. Traveling at rush hour by subway or bus will all but ensure you’re standing face to face and shoulder to shoulder with strangers.”

During his stay in China,Soon took some time to see other cities. For this native of the tropics, Harbin in northeast China was his favorite. During the winter holiday, Soon traveled there with friends for the ice sculpture festival,at which ice was carved into fantastic buildings or duplicates of famous world landmarks. The festival is virtually a frozen version of the World Art Expo.

Soon was also impressed with the Russian-style architecture in the city as well as local food such as red sausage, sauteed eggplant with chilli and potato and double cooked meat slices. “I also experienced feeding a Siberian tiger,” added Soon. “I was so close that I could feel its damp and warm breath. It was so exciting. There is no reason not to like the city.”

Soon has always believed that one should never give up learning. “I worked for a few years before I found the opportunity for further studies,” he illustrates. “As we all know, China is the best country in Asia for selfimprovement. So I decided to attend a top university in China for further studies.”

“Tsinghua is the best!”exclaimed Soon. For more than a year, he has benefited from both academic research and practice at Tsinghua University.

“I’m getting used to the life here,” Soon smiled, “I think I’ve fallen in love with my school and the country.”

Further Expectations

Soon has a lot to share about his native country. He described Brunei as “Abode of Peace.” He believes that for those who like peace and tranquility, Brunei is indeed a pleasant green country. Most of its land is covered by tropical rain forests.

Brunei is a unitary Islamic absolute monarchy. Shops are not allowed to sell cigarettes or alcoholic drinks. Bars and other public entertainment facilities are forbidden. “It may sound dull, but the security of the country is so good you can go out for a walk at night without worrying about safety.”

On Brunei Vision 2035,Soon believes that an important way to achieve the goals of the vision is educational cooperation that enables Bruneian students to study abroad to expand their knowledge, absorb the advantages of different cultures and experience different work environments.

Alex Soon at the ice sculpture festival in Harbin,Helongjiang Province, in February 2018.

Alex Soon in a group photo with his classmates from Tsinghua University.

Alex Soon at the Third China-ASEAN Youth Summit at Peking University on October 18, 2018.

It is important to let the Bruneian students experience the customs and culture of other countries. In this process,they learn from each other and explore ways for Brunei to develop.

Soon believes his opportunity to study in China has enabled him to witness its development model and to learn its culture and customs. He hopes that more Bruneian students will get similar opportunities to study in China and other countries to communicate with the world. “The results of this communication will be in the best interests of Brunei,”affirmed Soon with a smile.

“In terms of the people-topeople and cultural exchanges between China and Brunei, we have worked hard on youth exchange, especially exchange between young entrepreneurs,”noted Chen Jiafu, president of the China-Brunei Friendship Association. “Young people can start businesses focused on their own interests, and they find common ground during cooperation with other parties.”

Since the Memorandum of Understanding on Higher Education Cooperation between China and Brunei was signed in 2004, educational exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have been further strengthened. Every year,many students actively apply for government scholarships.In August 2018, the Chinese Embassy in Brunei issued letters of admission to 15 Bruneian students who applied for the Chinese government scholarship for the 2018-2019 academic year.