Ties that bind: Kung fu, food, language learning

Al Dhaheri arrived in Guangzhou in September and is now taking Chinese courses at South China Normal University.

"Guangzhou is a very vibrant city with a lot of cultural diversity, and the locals are very friendly, so I'm comfortable here and feel inspired."

Being able to communicate in Chinese is something that will improve his career prospects, he says.

"With China being one of the world's largest producers and exporters, its expertise has opened up huge opportunities for international trade."

Kanare and Al Dhaheri are just two of those students from the United Arab Emirates now studying in Guangzhou.

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."