Bezancon Charles Tim is teaching French. Photo: Courtesy to Tim

 
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Global Times reporters interviewed Bezancon Charles Tim, a French "post-1990s" young man who has been settling in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region since 2014, and learned about his family's stories in China and his personal connection with China.

When he was in junior year in 2011, Tim came to China to study in the Chongqing Technology and Business University, as in Bourges, Tim's hometown in central France, there are many cooperation projects with Chinese universities. 

During his stay in Chongqing, Tim gradually developed the idea of staying and working in China. Unexpectedly, he got married and had a child in China in the past 12 years, and even started his own company. He has been living in China ever since.

"I am shocked by the development of China. When I first arrived in China, Chongqing was the first city I visited. I never expected it to develop so well. It's important to note that Chongqing is not the largest city in China," said Tim.

In June 2014, while traveling in the Xinjiang region with his wife, Tim accidentally discovered that there was a great demand for French language teaching due to the cooperation projects between the Xinjiang region and some French-speaking African countries. However, there was a lack of French training institutions in the region. 

Tim and his wife realized this was a business opportunity and at the end of 2014, they moved to Urumqi with their family, and soon after, a French training company named "Urumqi French House" opened. 

Tim's family has a deep connection with China. His grandmother, Christiane, was born in Beijing at the foot of the Great Wall in 1932. Her father was a French officer who worked in Vietnam which was a French colony at the time and Christiane visited Beijing many times during her childhood.

When Christiane was 5 or 6 years old, she lived at the foot of the Great Wall, where there was a skilled blacksmith. One time, Christiane's mother gave the blacksmith some coins, and he used the melted coins to make a beautifully crafted spoon. Christiane used it when she was a child, and later passed it on to Tim.

Tim has kept the spoon - which is almost 90 years old. 

About 40 years ago, the French power company EDF participated in the design, construction, and operation of China's first large-scale nuclear power project, the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in China's Guangdong Province. 

Christiane's brother was the head of the French engineering team. Due to work reasons, he traveled between China and France multiple times. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Tim told the Global Times that sometimes when Christiane heard him talk about his life in China, she can vaguely recall her childhood stories in China. 

"My grandmother is 92 years old this year and still very energetic," said Tim. 

A true Xinjiang 

"When they first heard that I settled in Xinjiang, my parents flew to Urumqi to see me. When my family was shopping in Urumqi, they were amazed. They were surprised to find that they could buy cheese and other things they use in France, and life was very convenient," Tim told the Global Times. 

Tim's parents were also surprised by the high degree of integration in Urumqi. Here, not only are there Chinese people of various ethnic groups, but also foreigners from all over the world. After seeing it with their own eyes, they returned to France relieved, according to Tim. 

Tim's friends also came to Urumqi for visit and they enjoyed the unique culture of the Xinjiang region where different ethnic groups and foreigners live together with traditional customs and modern life merged. 

Several female friends also expressed that they feel very safe and they can go out alone at night in Xinjiang. 

"I know that Western society has misunderstandings and even prejudices against China," said Tim, noting that whenever he returns home, he was often asked about his life in Xinjiang.

"I always tell them tirelessly that I have made friends with people of various ethnic groups in Xinjiang, and their families are harmonious, their careers are stable, and they live very well. It's not exactly the same as what Western media reports."

"When some people are half-believing, I will say, 'If you don't believe it, buy a plane ticket and see for yourself,'" said Tim. 

Tim told the Global Times that he has lived in many cities, but Urumqi is where he has lived the longest. "Urumqi is my second hometown, and I really like it here. I currently have no plans to leave." 

Currently, Tim and his wife run the "Urumqi French House" quite successfully. His students come from various ethnic groups such as Uygur, Kazak, Xibe, and Han, and there area also retired teachers and children. Some are in Urumqi, while others are in Shanghai, Qingdao, Yantai, Ningbo and even foreign countries such as France and Canada. They learn French from Tim through online courses. 

Tim said that one of his students aspires to enter the perfume industry and went to France to study with his help. Another student is studying hotel management in France and is currently working at a high-end hotel in Shenzhen. 

"While helping Chinese students achieve their dreams, their inspirational stories also encourage me. I increasingly feel the role I can play as a bridge and link between China and France in communication," said Tim.

At the "Urumqi French House," frequent French cultural exchange activities are held and anyone who is interested in French can participate, taste French cuisine, and chat with each other. 

"This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. We plan to organize some activities to provide more opportunities for people from both China and France to communicate and enhance understanding and knowledge of each other's countries. It is the first step to become good friends," said Tim.