He also loves Chinese movies, especially Kungfu films. "I am a big fan of Jackie Chan!" he said.
To fully understand Chinese culture and history, Yuniarto joins in all sorts of traditional Chinese festivals, such as the Lantern Festival, the Tomb-Sweeping Day, and above all, the Spring Festival.
"Chinese culture influences people's daily lives in many activities, especially how they respect their parents and the elderly," he said.
Similarly, in her spare time, Thiri took tours in and around the city of Beijing and to Hainan Island in south China. "When I was young, I always wanted to see how huge the Great Wall of China is. I enjoyed the sceneries of China."
FUTURE PLANS
Currently working as a research officer at an environmental lab of the Biotechnology Research Department under Myanmar's Education Ministry in Yangon, Thiri thinks her work experience in China has helped her a lot in her current job.
"I can apply that knowledge in my research field," she said.
Cai Jianing, deputy director-general of the Department of International Cooperation under the Chinese Science and Technology Ministry, said that since the ministry initiated the TYSP in 2013, more than 200 young scientists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt and other countries have come to China to participate in China's scientific research work, greatly promoting the exchanges of scientific and technological researchers among countries along the Belt and Road, and helping cultivate many international ringleaders in science and technology.
"Our next step is to further promote the scientific and technological exchanges between China and the countries along the Belt and Road, jointly establish experiment labs, enhance cooperation among science parks of Belt and Road countries, and speed up technology transfers," Cai said.
As for Yuniarto, he still wants to live a few more years in Beijing before returning to his home country.
"My current Chinese level is only intermediate, so my future plan is to continue my studies here in China, especially for a Ph.D. program in Chinese culture," he said.
"Then I will come back to my country, and teach Indonesian students and people Chinese language and culture."
In the past few years, China has been expanding educational cooperation with the countries along the Belt and Road, with many foreign scholars and students like Yuniarto participating in it.
Statistics showed that till this April, China has signed 45 bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements with Belt and Road countries, and signed mutual recognition agreements on academic degree and diploma with 24 Belt and Road countries.
Tian Xuejun, vice minister of the Chinese Education Ministry, said that during the process of "heart to heart connection" among the people in Belt and Road countries, education serves as a glue, a catalyst, and a lubricant.
"Education is a fundamental subject and has a characteristic of nourishing all softly," Tian said. "That's why educational exchange is getting increasingly important."
