13/11/2017
Check out Seeniun Magazine‘s Interview with H.E. Rashed Alqemzi, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in Shanghai!
Seeniun Magazine was lucky to invite Yang ErChe Na Mu (Namu Yang), the best-selling author,to have an interview with H.E. Rashed Alqemzi, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in Shanghai. Let’s take a look at the young Consul General's understanding and perception of China.
Interview Time: October 30, 2017
Interviewee: H.E. Rashed Matar Alsiri Alqemzi, Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in Shanghai
Interviewer: Yang ErChe Na Mu (Namu Yang), the best-selling author
Namu: Mr. Consul General, Nice to meet you. Thank you for accepting the interview with Seeniun Magazine. Have you ever heard of this Chinese magazine?
Rashed Alqemzi: Of course. I'm also aware of your WeChat public platform. Our Embassy in Beijing is also very knowledgeable about Seeniun. We know that the magazine is popular with many Chinese people in Dubai because they can find in your platform the information which they want about restaurants, bars, and entertainment facilities. Thank you for providing information to Chinese people around the world.
Namu: As the youngest Consul General in the history of the UAE, how did you feel when you were sent to such an important country, China, especially in a vibrant city like Shanghai?
Rashed Alqemzi: I am very happy that my country chose me, and I am also very grateful to be to come to Shanghai early in my career to experience this modern and dynamic metropolis. Knowing I was going to be sent to Shanghai, my friends kept asking me, “Are you sure you want to go?”, because in the minds of most people in the UAE, China is very far away.
I have already been in Shanghai for nine months now. I am very proud and happy that I did not hesitate to accept this posting from my country. The two cities of Shanghai and Dubai have many similarities as well as many differences. Both cities have modern architecture, an international work rhythm and are major stages for setting fashion trends.
Although nine months is very short, I have seen a lot here and also learned a lot. Chinese culture is so rich and colorful. I remember the first time that I watched Beijing opera. Even though I did not understand it, I still enjoyed the opera from the beginning to the end. I was interested in every act and tune of the Beijing opera. The more you relish every detail, the more you can enjoy the charm.
Namu: Mr. Consul General, when was the first time you remember learning about China?
Rashed Alqemzi: My earliest recollection of China comes from my brother, who is a fan of the Kungfu star Bruce Lee. Next to my brother's pillow and bedside he had affixed a photo of Bruce Lee. I remember always hearing from my brother about Bruce Lee and China. My impression at the time was that China was very far away and very old, similar to how many Chinese think about our deserts being very far away and desolate. When I was young, I was very curious about China, but thought it was too far away, and, of course, I never dreamed that one day I would come to work here with my family and children. Thinking about this makes me realize how fast times flies, but also how wonderful the chemistry can be between a persona and a place like China!
Namu: Mr. Consul General, when was the first time you had Chinese food?
Rashed Alqemzi: When I was young, I thought Japanese sushi was the same as Chinese food, and I considered it unacceptable because we didn't like raw food. Later I went to a Chinese restaurant with a horse in the doorway, where the first dish we enjoyed was hot and spicy shrimp which was very delicious. It was at that time that I figured out the difference between Japanese and Chinese food.
Namu: Was it difficult to use chopsticks for the first time?
Rashed Alqemzi: Fortunately, the restaurant owner was very thoughtful. In case the UAE people didn’t know how to use chopsticks, he would attach the bases of two chopsticks together which made it easier to use and prevented the chopsticks from falling on the ground.
Namu: Do you drink Chinese tea in Dubai?
Rashed Alqemzi: As for tea, we like black tea, so we drink mostly Indian tea. But our tea trays are from China. At the time of the Silk Road, someone brought Chinese tea trays to our land. But we did not know how to call the object, so the name of the tray in Arabic became known simply as "China”.
In ancient times cultural and economic exchanges between China and the Middle East were conducted through trade along the Silk Road, which depended on camels, horses and walking on foot. As a result China and the Middle East learned from each other and benefited from one another culturally and economically. This is the charm and importance of the cultural exchange. The longer I live in China, the more I feel that I need to learn more about the roots of Chinese culture. I originally wanted to know China by learning Chinese which starts by studying Hanyu Pinyin . Now I think it is better for me to take the time to use my eyes to get to know China. Meanwhile I read Arabic versions of the Chinese books to discover and feel the country's profound cultural background and vitality.
Namu: Since you came to China, have your friends in Dubai had any changes in their views about China?
Rashed Alqemzi: Oh, of course! First of all, they are really glad that I come to China. I think they can feel that I am happy in China. In just a few months, four groups of my family members have visited Shanghai. They were amazed at level of development, speed of change and the overall beauty of China, and regretted that they had not come here earlier.
Now I am very busy in Shanghai. There are a lot of delegations coming to China to study, exchange and visit. Everyone is amazed by the great changes in China these years. The One Belt and One Road brings more business opportunities as well as more cultural exchanges. The number of Chinese living in Dubai is rising every year. And I have a piece of good news to share with you. Children in Dubai not only learn Arabic and English, but now Chinese is also in the curriculum.
Namu: What do you think are the similarities and differences between the career of women in Dubai and China?
Rashed Alqemzi: Chinese women, especially those in Shanghai, are diligent, independent, active and have clear values and that is most evident by the number of women participating in mainstream career job positions. Our cultural and traditional values are different from those we see in China. However, we now have a Ruler who is very benevolent and puts the welfare of the people first, which makes more and more women join the workforce to exert their diligence and grace and to show their genius and abilities as leaders. Women are getting more opportunities to demonstrate their talents in the workplace. For example, there are two women working at the UAE’s Embassy in Beijing. Our Ruler also reminds all male citizens that it is our duty to create an environment where women can fully contribute their abilities in so doing they will have miraculous performances.
Namu: Your time in China is going by very fast. How about your feelings these days?
Rashed Alqemzi: Yes, time goes by really fast. I hope that during my term of duty, I can study more Chinese culture, and can promote the cultural and artistic exchanges between our two countries as much as possible, including poetry culture. Chinese poetry has thousands of years of brilliant history. Our Ruler is also a very talented poet. In this field, I hope our two poetic countries with different poetry genres and styles can find something attractive to one another.
In addition, the people of our two countries both have some misconceptions and sometimes a distorted image of the other nation. During Abu Dhabi Cultural Week held recently, we invited some of the artists from Abu Dhabi to Shanghai to give some traditional cultural and artistic shows. There were also some Arab dances performed in Makan Dubai Fasion Restaurant in Xujiahui. We were very glad to see that the Shanghainese like Arab music very much.
I always think that the charm of poetry and music is that as long as it is beautiful and real, whether you understand it or not, it can influence people with different cultural backgrounds. As our Ruler said, poets and musicians have unusual eyes and hearts, and time is like a river, and you cannot step into the same river twice.
I also remember our Ruler said that our country is small, but our people are great, and the achievements we have made are amazing. Meanwhile, I congratulate the amazingly international status of China in these years thanks to the great and hard working Chinese people. It is a rich learning experience for me to stay in Shanghai every day because I face so many interesting and new things. I am also very pleased that my family, including my children and my wife are very happy and enjoy every day in China.