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Dr. Biakua is not only a doctor, but also a mentor to me. He is the pride of our city Taqing, a specialist that I deeply trust. To Chinese staff and patients at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, he is known as Dr. Biakua. The 69-year-old eye doctor from Kazakhstan's proper name is Salabak Kebubekov. For over two decades, Dr. Biakua has made his home in the city of Daqing, dedicating himself to bringing light and hope to countless people suffering from eye diseases. I am an eye doctor at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital. I'm from Kazakhstan. My Chinese name is Biakua. Quite fluent in Chinese now, Dr. Biakua has devoted considerable effort to learning the language in order to communicate with both his patients and fellow colleagues more effectively. Reflecting on his first journey to China, Dr. Biakua reminisces about the early 1990s, when he was invited to a hospital in the neighboring province of Liaoning for medical collaborations and support. When in 1998, upon the establishment of Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital, he was once again invited by the hospital director and formally joined as a young foreign expert, bringing innovative techniques that addressed gaps in the ophthalmology field. His extensive skills and expertise have significantly advanced the diagnosis and treatment of various eye-related conditions. Over the past 25 years, he has treated more than 250,000 patients. Some of them have left a deep impression on him. I still remember a female patient who was under 30 at the time. She had uveitis, a condition that causes inflammation inside your eye. The situation was very complicated. It was particularly challenging because she was pregnant. We had to protect both her eyes and her baby. After we gradually started the treatment and carefully selected the medication, her condition improved. She was very satisfied and happy as her vision improved. And also, she gave birth to a healthy baby. For Dr. Biakua, seeing his treatment succeed and patients regain their clear vision is the greatest reward and motivation. Beyond the hospital walls, his presence resonated through the urban and rural areas of Daqing, and he extended his reach into the western regions of the province, providing care and support through free clinics. Zhou Yousi has been serving as Dr. Biakua's interpreter for the past eight years. During consultations, Zhou assists with translation and documents medical records and diagnoses. He is a meticulous and helpful person who is always eager to learn. His dedication to patients, including his communication, has been very encouraging. Moreover, Dr. Biakua excels in leading by example. His diligent and earnest approach to learning inspires and motivates those around him, driving us to improve and learn together. Starting in Russian, Zhou lacked a professional background in medical care. Initially he faced great challenges with medical terminology when starting his job. But he credits Dr. Biakua for helping him overcome these obstacles. At that time, I felt immense pressure because I wasn't sure if I could perform this job well. However, under Dr. Biakua's guidance, he is not only a doctor but also a mentor to me. From the outset of my career to the present day, he has consistently supported me, explaining medical terminology and coaching me in patient communication, among other things. I have learned a great deal from him. The first two years of working alongside him mark the period of my greatest growth. So I am very grateful to him for his mentoring and assistance as he taught me so much through his words and actions. Zhou is just one of the many young people who have learned from the Kazakh expert. During his time in China, Dr. Biakua mentored and trained hundreds of ophthalmologists from within and outside the province. Some of them have later become key talents in local hospitals. When young people come to us with questions, we always offer assistance and mentorship. While I perform fewer surgeries now, I used to instruct them in surgical techniques when I was more actively involved in the operating room. They often approach us with complex cases, seeking advice and guidance. We are all integral parts of the hospital, working together and supporting each other. In retrospect, Dr. Biakua never imagined that he would spend decades of his life here. Over the years, he has also witnessed firsthand the city's development and the evolution of the medical field. In the past 20 years, China has seen significant progress, especially in the medical field. Ophthalmology, for instance, has experienced remarkable advancements. When we first began, the equipment used for examinations and surgeries was vastly different from what we have today. Everything is much more convenient now. In the past, for myopia surgeries, we used knives to cut the cornea. Today we use lasers, and laser technology itself has evolved with the introduction of femtosecond lasers. So, the equipment continues to improve consistently. In addition to advancements in surgical equipment, Dr. Biakua also emphasizes the progress in diagnostic technology. Optical Coherence Tomography, or OCT, for instance, has become a standard diagnostic tool for many eye diseases, greatly enhancing convenience and accuracy in diagnosis. In Daqing, a city known for the country's largest onshore oil field, Dr. Biakua has found a second home. He married a Chinese woman, and together they have a lovely daughter. Though he has traveled to many parts of the country, the eye doctor says he still likes Daqing the most. What I like about Daqing is its weather and fresh air. It's windy here, so there are very few days with poor air quality. Most of the time, the air is very good. The weather is also great. In summer, the temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius, so it's not very hot. Although it's cold outside in the winter, indoor heating is excellent, so it's very warm inside. In 2023, to honor his decade-long contributions, Dr. Biakua was awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award, the highest honor granted by the Chinese government to foreign experts. This government award has motivated me to strive even more to better serve patients with eye diseases in China. Actually, Dr. Biakua wasn't the first one to receive this honor. Before him, two foreign experts working at the hospital, respectively from Kazakhstan and Russia, had also been recognized with the same honor. Now with five international experts at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital, Lu Xiangqing, the hospital's executive director, highlights their long-standing history of collaboration with international specialists. Since the founding of our hospital, we have maintained collaboration with the People's Friendship University of Russia. Over the years, a total of 59 foreign professionals have joined our hospital. Foreign technologies have seamlessly integrated into our practices. Now in his mid-60s, an age that typically signals retirement, Dr. Biakua is not ready to step back. He expresses his determination to continue illuminating lives with hope and vision as long as he is able.