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Next, we bring you the fascinating story of a young Tajik entrepreneur who has carved out a successful niche in Xi'an, a city in northwest China, specializing in the international trade of cars between China and Central Asia. The business now thrives, with around 30 cars traded every week. As China's economy grows and ties with Central Asia deep in, this entrepreneur is at the heart of a booming industry. But the road to success hasn't been without its speed bumps. Let's explore how risk, determination and opportunity have shaped this entrepreneur's journey. Hello, everyone. I'm Farouk Piroum-Shou from Tajikistan. I have lived in Xi'an for 12 years. In 2019, I founded my own company, engaging in international trade of cars from China to Central Asia. Right now, my business has been going very well. China is a land of opportunities. I hope more people can come here to do business and promote economic exchanges among different countries. I also hope that China and Tajikistan can maintain a lasting friendship and achieve common development. Farouk Piroum-Shou of, better known as Fanrung here in China, speaks fluent Chinese and preferred to talk to us in this language. Over the past five years, this shy but aspiring young man has been riding the wave of a booming Chinese car market and engaging in a fairly profitable international trade of cars. So far this year, our car trading business has become better and better. On average, our company trades about 30 cars each week. These cars from China are very popular in the countries we export to. To be specific, what his company exports are second-hand cars to Central Asian countries and Russia. Piroum-Shou of launched his company in 2019, the same year as the Chinese government began allowing the export of second-hand cars. The vehicles from China are of good quality and low price. They are very popular abroad. These days, our company exports Chinese vehicles to the five countries in Central Asia, as well as some other countries, in total about seven to eight countries. Although well on track now, his undertaking of international trade was not smooth all the time. Soon after the founding of his company, he faced an unexpected challenge. The deadly COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, and the disruption to cross-border trade, travel and the world economy. At first, it was very difficult for us. We tried our best to find clients from abroad. To add to the difficulties, the COVID-19 pandemic came soon after we founded our company. During the pandemic, we couldn't carry out our cross-border trade. In addition to himself, his small startup company has only two other employees, his brother and another business partner. They weathered the difficulties with patience. More importantly, support from the local government that his company enjoyed from the very beginning helped his business survive the pandemic. As a foreign-funded company, we received support from the Chinese local government. For example, local authorities have exempted rent for our office since 2019. Furthermore, the local government has paid the water and electricity bills for us. As the COVID-19 pandemic began winding down in late 2022, cross-border trade and travel gradually resumed. His company swiftly grasped the opportunities and successfully tapped into the market in Central Asia. He says it takes less than 10 days for a car to arrive in Almaty in Kazakhstan from Xi'an through his company's trading service via road or by train. As his company is now well on track, Farouk Pirumshouev has some suggestions for people who want to do business in China. I advise them to make friends with local Chinese people and communicate more with them. You know, if you have one more friend, you might have one more clue about potential business opportunities. Pirumshouev first came to China in September 2012, after graduating from high school. He applied for the Northwest University in Xi'an, although he couldn't speak Chinese at the time. He had to finish a one-year language training course provided by the university, and then did his bachelor's degree studies at the Northwest University between 2013 and 2017. Being shy by nature, the young man dared not speak Chinese in his early days in the country. But gradually he gained confidence with encouragement from his Chinese teachers, classmates, and friends. He practiced and practiced with them and other ordinary people he met in the city of Xi'an. Three years after he came to China, he finally mastered the Chinese language, reaching a level of his second mother tongue. The language environment is very important for you to master a foreign language. During my first three years in China, I made lots of Chinese friends, and they helped me practice and improve my Chinese. While trying his best to improve his Chinese and excel in other courses on campus, the young man also took a part-time job, which would ultimately lead him to what he does today. Pirumshouev studied international trade at university and thus developed a keen sense of doing business. Living in the world's second largest and dynamic economy also helped him spot business opportunities. He was awed by the easily available large amounts of various low-priced and good-quality products produced by Chinese factories. He became a part-time trader, bringing those goods from China back to Tajikistan. When I studied at university, I sent small item goods from China to Tajikistan, such as clothes and other daily goods. When I graduated, it was very natural for me to establish a company engaging in international trade. Now managing a startup company, the young man is very busy every day. He says he starts work at 9 in the morning and goes to bed after midnight, at 2 or 3 o'clock in the early morning. Having lived in China for more than a decade, he has travelled to many places across the country including the metropolises of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing. But he likes Xi'an the most and treats it as his second home town. I have lived in Xi'an since I was 18 years old. Now I'm 31 years old. In a sense, I grew up here. I think this city is the most hospitable place for me. As he notes, Xi'an is renowned for its rich historical and cultural heritage. It was the capital of many powerful and prosperous dynasties in ancient China, and served as an important economic and cultural hub along the ancient Silk Road. Being a foodie, the young man says the city offers him a wide variety of choices. There are many kinds of cuisines in Xi'an. You can enjoy a different one every day. Pita bread soaked in lamb soup and cold noodles are among my favourites. Optimistic about the Chinese economy, he plans to launch a Tajik themed restaurant in Xi'an. He says the restaurant will not only provide people with Tajik food, but also offer a window for them to experience the Tajik food culture, lifestyle and also facilitate exchanges between Tajikistanis and Chinese. Farouk Pirumshoev was born in Dushanbei, capital of Tajikistan, in 1993. He has established his family in Xi'an, living with his wife and 6-year-old son. Young and energetic, Pirumshoev is full of hope for the future, as he is fully occupied with building both his young and growing business and family here in China. It's always inspiring to hear how people are making their mark in China's dynamic business landscape. Thanks for joining us today. You can always find us on Apple Podcast at Roundtable China. Also feel free to drop us an email, or even better, a voice memo at Roundtable Podcast at QQ.com. I'm He Young, we'll see you next time.