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Syrian expat praises 'sense of security' in Taizhou life

chinadaily.com.cn| Updated: June 11, 2021 L M S

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A photo of Nidal Chami's home in Taizhou. [Photo/WeChat account:tzfb001]

Chami once ran his own business as a sales agent for numerous sewing machine brands from Germany, Japan, and other countries in the Syrian market. In 2001, his company became the exclusive sales agent for the Taizhou-based JACK Sewing Machine Co.

Unfortunately, Chami's business was hindered by the Syrian Civil War, which broke out in 2011. Out of concern for Chami's safety and admiration of his talent, JACK Sewing Machine Co. invited him to come to Taizhou and work as a sales manager in charge of the company's Middle East market. Chami accepted the job offer and moved to China in 2013. His wife and two daughters followed him one year later.

Qiu Yangyou, vice-general manager of JACK Sewing Machine Co. and one of Chami's oldest friends, recalled that Chami's daughters both cried as soon as they heard the sound of firecrackers on the first Spring Festival that they spent in China as they thought it was wartime gunfire.

Now, the girls can speak English and Arabic fluently, as well as Mandarin and the local Taizhou dialect. They enjoy the weekend trips with their parents to taste seafood in Wenling, tour ancient city walls in Linhai, and go shopping in downtown malls.

In his interview with local media reporters, Chami repeatedly mentioned the sense of security he has found in living in Taizhou.

Chami added that he believes that China is one of the safest places in the world. He noted that he does not worry about the safety of his wife even when she has to go outside at midnight.

Chami also said that it is a consensus among his expat friends that the sense of security they have felt in Taizhou not only lies in the sound public security, but also the mutual respect between people who hold no biases or discrimination to each other.

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Nidal Chami is pictured at a meeting with his Chinese colleagues in an office of JACK Sewing Machine Co. [Photo/WeChat account:tzfb001]

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