For Heng Yeanchea, a student at Siem Reap Public Zhongshan School, building a red-headed boat model took only ten minutes. Yet the boat itself carries a much longer story. It was once a major vessel for water transport, sailing from China's Chaoshan region to Cambodia. Although it is no longer used today, it remains a symbol of the historical ties between Guangdong and Cambodia.
Heng has been learning Chinese for more than six years. He hopes to study at a university in Beijing, visit Shanghai and the Great Wall, and enjoy Chinese food such as bread, spicy gluten strips and noodles. With six Chinese classes every week, he plans to continue learning Chinese and eventually study in China, where he wants to learn and play with Chinese friends and share Cambodian stories and culture with them in Chinese.
His story was part of the "Guangdong Goods, Global Reach" Cambodia Promotion Event held on September 19 in Siem Reap. At the event, students from Siem Reap Public Zhongshan School also built models featuring Cantonese cultural elements such as Southern lion dance heads, kapok flowers, lion-head geese and red-headed boats.
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Videographers: Pan Jiajun, Guo Hongda
Video editor: Pan Jiajun
Photos: Pan Jiajun
