Ties that bind: Kung fu, food, language learning

A student practices writing Chinese characters at Hamdan Bin Rashid Boys School in Dubai. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Al Dhaheri arrived in Guangzhou in September and is now taking Chinese courses at South China Normal University. Their presence "underscores the vibrancy of our educational exchanges at the tertiary level", says Mariam Alshamsi, consul-general of the UAE in Guangzhou. "They will return home not only with proficiency in Chinese, but also with firsthand experience of life in China, enriching their perspectives and shaping them into true global citizens."