Asad (R2) poses for a photo with a police officer and his foreign friends. [Photo/Yongpai App]

Asadullah Ahmadzai, an Afghan businessman known locally as Asad, arrived at the Yangtze River Delta Market Cluster in Shengshan town, Cixi, a county-level city of Ningbo, on Sept 3, with several international friends seeking help with driving license procedures. Spotting local police officer Ying Kanhua, he warmly greeted him like an old friend.

Asad has become a familiar face among the international business community in the bustling textile market, which hosts more than 5,000 businesses and over 300 long-term foreign residents. Originally from Afghanistan, he came to China in 2010 and speaks five languages: Pashto, Chinese, English, Hindi, and Urdu.

Today, he is also a volunteer serving foreign merchants, acting as a bridge between local police and overseas merchants. The team includes 27 foreign and 11 local members, helping communicate policies, collect information, and mediate disputes.

Having experienced the challenges of settling in a foreign country himself, Asad understands the difficulties newcomers face. Over the past year, he has helped mediate more than 20 disputes, explained local regulations, and connected merchants with the services they need.

His feedback also helped promote the opening of a local service point for foreign driving license procedures this March, making the process more convenient for overseas merchants.

"China is my second home," Asad said. He hopes to share not only Chinese products with his homeland but also the friendship and inclusiveness he has experienced here.