Joyce Ling Chieng Ying at Beijing Jiaotong University. (Photo provided to China News Network) 

“The Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) is like a bridge, not only bringing countries closer but also profoundly impacting my life,” said Joyce Ling Chieng Ying, a Malaysian student at Beijing Jiaotong University.

Here in Beijing, she met classmates from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Russia, and other countries. The BRI brought them together, providing shared topics for conversation, as well as guiding their future career development directions.

As a Chinese descent, Joyce speaks the Fuzhou dialect of her parents. "My ancestral hometown is Fuzhou city in southeast China, so I have always been curious about China and wanted to come and see it," she said.

The rapid development of technology in China is also a crucial factor prompting Joyce's desire to study in China.

She mentioned that China's advancements in technology, particularly in the fields of transportation and logistics, outpace those in Malaysia.

Under the BRI, Malaysia has participated in a multitude of collaborative projects with China, focusing on transportation and economic development, such as the East Coast Rail Link.

Therefore, she has chosen to come to China to study logistics management, hoping to contribute to her hometown in the future.

Joyce often shares experiences of studying in China on social media. Many Malaysian classmates are influenced by her and seek advice from her about studying in China. Her younger brother also chose to study in China and is currently a sophomore at Beijing Jiaotong University.

“I am really grateful for the BRI. If it weren't for the Belt and Road Scholarship, it would have been difficult for me and my brother to study in China," she said.

Looking ahead, Joyce hopes to continue her postgraduate studies in China, further broadening her knowledge. In addition to her academic pursuits, she wants to further explore Chinese culture.