Amine makes a video for his next class in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zgyww.cn]

Amine, an English teacher from Algeria, talked about what he loves most about Yiwu in an interview with local media on Dec 2.

"I have stayed in many Chinese cities and where to eat has always been a big problem for me," said the Algerian, who came to China five years ago.

"Speaking of Yiwu, the first thing came to my mind was trade and commerce," said Amine. "However, I was surprised at the large number of foreign restaurants on the streets when I finally got here."

Yiwu boasts all kinds of exotic food from across the world as the city has around 15,000 foreign residents from more than 100 countries - and some of them are making a fortune by running restaurants.

Though he is committed to English education, Amine has a dream of bringing Algerian food to Yiwu. "I hope people from different countries can have a try at the decent cuisines from my hometown," he said.

Another thing that impressed Amine is the frequency of exhibitions and conventions.

"Each time I pass by Yiwu International Expo Center there is some heavyweight event going on, attracting crowds from home and abroad," said Amine. "The city adopts a fast-paced lifestyle and everyone is busy but friendly and happy to help."

The Algerian has already made many new friends, including Yang Yingchun, leader of a group of translators who volunteer to help expats in Yiwu. "I really enjoy participating in their weekly meeting where group members sit around and share that week's stories."

Amine also revealed that he will soon join the translator group and help bridge expats and locals in Yiwu.