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Li and his colleagues volunteer to distribute packaged vegetables to communities in Wuhan that were short of fresh supplies. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
Lockdown crisis
During previous Spring Festivals, Li and his colleagues would take turns to take time off. However, as COVID-19 hit Wuhan and the city was locked down just before this year's festival began, it became the busiest time for them.
To make sure that there was a continuous supply of vegetables to Hema in Wuhan, Li, and around 30 of his colleagues, worked 16-hour days. In the morning, Li went to the farms to collect their produce. In the afternoon, all of them took turns transporting the vegetables to the market.
"Usually we supply 6,000-8,000 servings of vegetables to Hema every day and, at most, 10,000 servings on weekends. After the lockdown of the city, up to 32,000 servings were delivered in one day," Li says.
Because of the lockdown, some local farmers' vegetables couldn't be purchased and transported out of the area. Li heard about this and went to collect the vegetables and find buyers for them. "I can't let the vegetables rot," he says.
Li and his colleagues also volunteered to distribute packaged vegetables to communities short of fresh food, even those near the Huanan Seafood Market where, due to its proximity to the early COVID-19 outbreak, many people were reluctant to deliver.
During the lockdown of the city, up to 1,300 packages of vegetables were delivered by Li and his team each day, each one weighing about eight kilos and each car load weighing nearly five metric tons.
"I remember it was cold in February, when one resident brought us a bottle of hot tea. He wrapped the bottle with tissue and asked me to remove the bottle from it to avoid direct contact and asked us to stay safe. I was so touched," Li says.
Li and his colleagues had to disinfect themselves before returning home. His 15-year-old daughter once asked him not to go to work. He told his daughter: "Have you watched the movies about war? Someone must be brave when the battle begins."
After learning the news that her father was a "food hero", Li's daughter sent him a message that says: "Dad, you are awesome! I'm proud of you."
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The 15th Chinese Film Festival in Bangkok and the 2020 China-Thailand Film Exchange Week opens at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok on Oct 25, 2020. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
On Oct 25, the opening ceremony of the 15th Chinese Film Festival in Bangkok and the 2020 China-Thailand Film Exchange Week was held at the China Cultural Center in Bangkok. The event was hosted by the China Cultural Center in Bangkok and received strong support from the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and the Thai Ministry of Culture.
The COVID-19 pandemic doesn't impede the enthusiasm for cultural exchange between China and Thailand. This film festival uses live broadcast to present the opening ceremony and host the "China-Thailand Film Exchange and Cooperation Online Seminar". During the film festival, audiences can use the online platform of the China Cultural Center in Bangkok to watch films online, which greatly increases the global reach of the festival.
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Gu Hongxing, director of the China Cultural Center in Bangkok and China Tourism Office in Bangkok, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Gu Hongxing, director of Bangkok's China Cultural Center and China Tourism Office, said film can not only introduce one's national culture, but also reflect unique social landscapes. Film has become an important part of cultural exchange between countries and enhance mutual understanding among people around the world.
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Yang Xin, Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Yang Xin, Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, said since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand 45 years ago, the mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, economic and trade cooperation has expanded, cultural exchanges have become closer, and all-around cooperation has achieved fruitful results. Both China and Thailand have a vast film market. As a traditional project of cultural exchanges between China and Thailand, the Bangkok Chinese Film Festival has laid a solid foundation for film cooperation between the two countries for 15 years and will add new drive to the promotion of cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Thailand.
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Itthiphol Kunplome, Thailand's minister of culture, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org] |
Thailand's Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome said in his speech the governments and people of Thailand and China have been in constant exchange. Cooperation in various fields has developed steadily, and the film festival is another important event to further promote cultural exchanges between the two countries. The people of the two countries can promote their understanding of the cultures of both sides through films, and promote friendly relations and cooperation in other perspectives.
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