A salon was recently organized by the Xuetian sub-district in Chongchuan district, Nantong, to study the fourth volume of the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China.

Among the attendees were several expats including Ateeq Mohammed Khan, a Pakistani-American who runs an English training institution in the sub-district.

During the salon, Ateeq was presented with an English version of the book. He said that the salon provided him with an opportunity to understand China's governance concepts and explore why China has witnessed a rapid development in the past decade.

Ateeq came to China in 2011 after falling in love with a woman surnamed Shao from Chongchuan.

He later opened an English training institution before marrying Shao and having their daughter.

"Living in Nantong for more than 10 years has allowed me to know more about China. And I have gradually come to love this country," Ateeq said. "Though I am a foreigner, the Chinese are friendly to me and have provided us with much help. This has touched me a lot."

Ateeq, who was part of his community's volunteer team that helped with anti-pandemic efforts, said that he appreciates the approach and responsibility that China has shown in fighting COVID-19 as a big country.

The salon is held in the Xuetian sub-district in Chongchuan district, Nantong. [Photo by Ding Congrong for chinadaily.com.cn]