Central Asian women enjoy happy family, successful career in NW China's Xi'an

"Made in China" is a "golden signboard,” said Mambetova Elnura, a Kyrgyz woman who runs a foreign trade company with her husband in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Mambetova Elnura enjoys local food with her family in Kyrgyzstan. (Photo courtesy of Mambetova Elnura)

"Buses and new-energy vehicles (NEVs) made in China are running on the roads of Kyrgyzstan. Many other products from China, such as home appliances, clothes, and daily necessities, are also popular among Kyrgyz families. High-quality products from China are highly regarded by people in my hometown," Elnura said proudly.

Elnura has a Chinese name, Ye Liya. In 2015, she came to study in Xi'an, and quickly fell in love with the ancient city full of modern charm. She always walked around the city in her spare time, hoping to enjoy the unique beauty of the city and know more about the local culture and local people's lives.

During her time studying in Xi'an, Elnura met her husband, Chao Yonglin. They set up their foreign trade company in March 2018, and started to sell Chinese products to Kyrgyz people and Kyrgyzstan's specialties to Chinese people.

"We sell Chinese goods, such as clothes, shoes and socks, toys, and electronic products, to Kyrgyzstan, and bring honey, wheat flour, and other specialties of Kyrgyzstan to China," Elnura said.

At first, their company only imported honey from Kyrgyzstan. It now also exports NEVs made in China. Chao said the company couldn't have grown so smoothly without the favorable business environment it has enjoyed.

Elnura is working hard to improve her Chinese language proficiency. She wants to contribute to the people-to-people cultural exchanges between China and Kyrgyzstan, and is filled with hope for the future.

"Kyrgyzstan is endowed with beautiful natural scenery, rich animal and plant resources. Xi'an is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road and has a long history and a splendid culture. With the continuous development of the Belt and Road Initiative, we see bright prospects for not only foreign trade, but also tourism between the two countries," Elnura noted.

Just like Elnura, Anita, a Kazakh woman who also met her Chinese husband in Xi'an, has a happy family of three and a successful business in the city, too.

A family photo of Kazakh woman Anita, her Chinese husband Yuan Zhaohui, and their son. (Photo courtesy of Anita)

"At first we only help our friends buy things they need. When we saw that more and more people needed our help, we discovered a business opportunity, and set up a company. Now, more than 1,000 orders placed on our platform for Chinese products are delivered to Kazakh consumers on a daily basis," Anita said.

"Many of my Kazakh friends are very interested in China. I explain China's history and culture, and the Chinese people's lives to them to help them understand the real China," she said, adding that she also tells her Chinese friends about the local conditions and customs of her hometown.

As China and Kazakhstan enjoy increasingly close exchanges and cooperation, the peoples of the two countries have a better understanding of each other, which makes Anita more confident about the future of her company.