Meet Malika, a 22-year-old from Kyrgyzstan’s stunning Issyk-Kul region, whose academic adventure is rewriting the script on cross-border connections. 🏔️➡️🏯 After swapping mountain vistas for Hangzhou’s tech-driven buzz, she’s become a living bridge between Central Asian heritage and Chinese innovation.
‘I arrived knowing three Mandarin phrases,’ Malika laughs, recalling her first days at Zhejiang University. ‘Now I debate AI ethics in class and teach my roommates how to cook beshbarmak!’ 🥘 Her story mirrors China’s growing role as an education hub, with 500+ Kyrgyz students currently enrolled nationwide.
Cultural curator by weekend, Malika organizes Silk Road-themed events that fuse komuz music with Han dynasty poetry. ‘We’re not just exchanging knowledge – we’re remixing traditions,’ she tells NewspaperAmigo.com.
With Belt and Road scholarships fueling such exchanges, Malika’s journey hints at a future where diplomas double as peace treaties. 📜✨ What’s next? ‘I’ll launch a Central Asia-China youth network,’ she grins. ‘Consider this Phase One.’
