‘Laowai’ in China | Iraqi food vlogger gains millions of fans in China

deleciousfood | June 5, 2024 | Asian Food | No Comments

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CHENGDU, June 3 (Xinhua) — Wearing a smart suit, Ahmed Mohammed Jaber speaks to the camera in Mandarin with an accent, beginning his latest food exploration vlog. Jaber, also known by his Chinese name Wang Lixuan, is originally from Iraq and has called China home for a decade.

Born in Iraq in 1994, Jaber’s childhood is a tapestry woven with the sorrows of war and displacement. From Iraq to Syria, Jaber and his family have braved the ravages of conflict. In 2014, with the help of relatives, they finally reached China.

Iraqi food vlogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber records a video in the kitchen of a local restaurant in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)

Iraqi food vlogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber records a video in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)

In 2018, Jaber signed up for a short video training. This experience taught him basic editing skills and how to navigate social media and short video platforms like Bilibili and Douyin. During one trip, he recorded himself eating and commenting on the food, which he later posted online after editing and was very well received.

Motivated by this success, Jaber continued to produce culinary exploration videos. This foreigner, loving Chinese cuisine and mastering the language, began to gain recognition among an ever-growing audience.

Iraqi food vlogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber records a video at a local restaurant in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)

Iraqi food vlogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber (R) works with a video producer in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)

Iraqi food vlogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber talks with his sister Aya about the performance of social media content in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)

Iraqi food vlogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber enjoys a meal at a local restaurant in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)

“I am a foreigner, but not a foreigner. I like peaceful life and peaceful people.” From Iraq to Syria, then to China, Jaber spent ten years finding the security he dreamed of and the meaning of his life.

Looking ahead, Jaber hopes to expand its videos to include Chinese tourism, tea culture, clothing, customs and ethnic minorities, with the aim of creating more quality content to help the world better understand China .

Iraqi food vlogger Ahmed Mohammed Jaber records a video in the kitchen of a local restaurant in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)