Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
On the evening of May 1, the National Theatre of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, hosted the premiere of a film about Nyan’s life in the Chinese city of Yiwu.
The story of Senegalese entrepreneur Ababacar Nyan is the first episode of the documentary series “Yiwu: City of Wonders”. The series, produced by the China Documentary Research Center, was filmed for nearly four years starting in 2021, covering more than 10 countries and regions. It follows the entrepreneurial experiences of several foreigners in Yiwu.
In 2013, Nian came to China for the first time. Shortly before, he had won a tender to purchase sports equipment in his home country and, full of enthusiasm and hope, went to Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, to look for suitable suppliers. However, the project suddenly stalled, funding dried up, and he found himself in a difficult situation, forced to stay in Yiwu.
Faced with unexpected challenges, Nyan did not give up, but gritted his teeth and started over. He enrolled in international trade courses, worked hard to improve his language skills, interned at a Chinese company, ran his business during the day, and studied Chinese and other subjects at night. He said that during that time, he worked “from dawn to dusk” almost every day, but he did not feel tired because “every step forward brought more clarity and hope.”
As Nyan gained experience and expanded his business connections, he gradually found his feet. He founded his own import-export company, aiming to help African entrepreneurs more easily integrate into Chinese supply chains.
After stabilizing his business, Nian started a family in China. In his spare time, he makes videos and writes about his life in China, hoping that more people will learn about Yiwu and China through the eyes of an African.
It was in this situation that a Chinese documentary team approached Nian. The crew captured him taking inventory in a warehouse, coordinating orders at a factory, and video chatting with clients early in the morning. These seemingly ordinary moments of everyday life were captured and presented in the film.
At the premiere, the documentary’s executive director, Zhang Nan, said the experience of filming in Yiwu had changed his understanding of trade and the world. “Trade is not just the movement of goods, it is a connection that transcends cultural, linguistic and even life barriers. It allows people from different countries to build trust in seemingly small transactions and create a common future through daily cooperation.”