China-Arab Cultural Exchanges: Egyptian student looking to promote tourism, bridge cultures

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Inter-personal relationships between China and the Arab world are growing alongside diplomatic ties. One Egyptian student here in China is hoping his work can become a bridge between the two cultures. CGTN's Yang Chengxi has the story.

AMIR GADALLA EGYPTIAN PHD CANDIDATE AT FUDAN UNIVERSITY "My name is Amir. I'm here studying for my PHD. My area of research is promoting Egyptian destinations in China."

Amir Gadalla has been in China for seven years. Before he came, he studied tourism management in Egypt. He chose Chinese as his foreign language in class, and for good reason.

AMIR GADALLA EGYPTIAN PHD CANDIDATE AT FUDAN UNIVERSITY "Since 2015, our Chinese market is growing very fast. Now we have 180 thousand to 200 thousand Chinese travelers coming to Egypt every year."

YANG CHENGXI SHANGHAI "Marketing is all about understanding the customer: their culture and their lifestyles. And the most efficient way for Amir to do that was to immerse himself in the Chinese environment."

He came to China to work, and then decided to continued his higher education at Shanghai's Fudan University. Amir says there are many differences between Chinese and Arab cultures, and the two people have much to learn about each other. But for his industry, that's an opportunity.

AMIR GADALLA EGYPTIAN PHD CANDIDATE AT FUDAN UNIVERSITY "Chinese tourists, they are starting to look for something different. Not only temples, not only pyramids."

For example, Amir wants to promote the many vacation resorts by Egypt's Red Sea. The country now has the largest number of Chinese-language tour guides in the region. That's just one facet of the increasing cultural exchanges between China and the Arab world. In 2016, Shanghai International Studies University started a program to train Chinese-Arab interpretors.

SUN DEGANG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR MIDDLE EAST STUDIES INSTITUTE, SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY "With the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, we have seen an increasing demand for advanced interpreters in multilateral and bilateral cooperations. Therefore we are doing a very important thing for the future cooperation between the two sides."

Amir hopes to continue contributing to the Egyptian Tourism industry after he graduates. Experts say the potential for growth in cultural exchanges between China and the Arab world is huge, and starts with individuals like Amir.

AMIR GADALLA EGYPTIAN PHD CANDIDATE AT FUDAN UNIVERSITY "Egyptian people are very friendly people and Chinese people as well. I want to be a bridge."

YCX, CGTN, SHANGHAI.