Young Uzbek merchant pursues dream in China's Hainan

HAIKOU, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Alimov Abdumalik swills his Turkish coffee pot on hot sand carefully to make sure the coffee is heated evenly before he enjoys his dinner.

Abdumalik, the 26-year-old Uzbekistan national, commands well the traditional way of making Turkish coffee. He now runs a chain restaurant business in China.

He learned the unique coffee-making method from his father, who comes from Türkiye and has been doing foreign trade business among countries including China, Russia and Uzbekistan over the years.

The shrewd young man is good at seeking business opportunities due to his father's influence. He even earned himself some pocket money by selling clothes imported by his father from China to his classmates during his high school years.

Goods made in China often have good quality and are reasonable in terms of price, thus receiving great popularity in Uzbekistan, said Abdumalik.

Besides hearing from his father, the youngster also learns about China from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). More and more Chinese have come to Uzbekistan because of the deepening of BRI cooperation. "BRI is vital for the development of my country," Abdumalik added.

Located in Central Asia, Uzbekistan was an important node for the ancient Silk Road, attracting international merchants and visitors from Asia and Europe.

Encouraged by his father, the young man decided to study further in China in 2017. After one year of Chinese language study at Central China Normal University, he transferred to Hainan Normal University in south China's Hainan Province, majoring in international economics and trade.

"Few international students choose this major because it is difficult to learn. Most of them choose to learn international education, but I think it will be helpful for my business," he explained.

In 2020, Abdumalik and his Turkish friend teamed up with their Chinese friend to open a Turkish cuisine eatery in Haikou, capital of Hainan Province. Turkish coffee, what he excels in, and steak are their restaurant's specialties and have won the hearts of Chinese consumers.

Following the success, they opened a new branch of the restaurant in the city this year.

Now, the young merchant is accustomed to his life in a foreign country, and his dietary habits are also influenced by Chinese food. "Before I came to China, I rarely ate vegetables, mostly meat. Now, I think vegetables are also delicious. I enjoy grilled cabbage seasoned with cumin. It is good," Abdumalik said.

He is even encouraging his Chinese friend to open some hotpot restaurants in Uzbekistan.

In June, Abdumalik graduated from Hainan Normal University, but he hopes to continue to work in China as he is now deeply in love with Hainan, where he can go fishing or surfing. Abdumalik even learned some local dialects.

"The climate in Hainan is pretty good, and I love the sea. I don't want to leave. I want to live here forever," he quipped.

In the future, he plans to expand his restaurant business to more Chinese cities while continuing to make contributions to the foreign trade between China and Central Asia.

Of late, the young foreigner has registered a foreign trade company in Hainan, hoping to introduce more quality products from both China and Central Asian countries to each other and become an economic and trade "bridge" for them.