Feature: Chinese volunteers with fluent Turkish cultivated warm ties with Turks in Beijing

ISTANBUL, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- "I indeed want to meet them again soon, this time in Turkey," said Yang Dijingwen, a Chinese student of Turkish, referring to the Turkish journalists she met while volunteering in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in February.

During the short-track speed skating events held between Feb. 5 and Feb. 16 at Beijing's Capital Indoor Stadium, both Yang, who volunteered at the venue, and journalists from Turkish state-run TRT broadcaster were among the first to arrive.

Furkan Akar, Turkey's first short-track speed skater to compete at Winter Olympics was in TRT's limelight, with reports of Akar amazingly finishing sixth in the 1000-meter race, Turkey's best ranking ever achieved, drawing national cheers.

In the stadium, the bustling reporters caught Yang's eyes. "One day, I heard two reporters speaking Turkish, and I greeted them in Turkish. They were very surprised," Yang, whose Turkish name is Esin, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

As a fluent Turkish speaker, Yang approached their needs or problems with enthusiasm and quick solutions, which marked the beginning of a "very good" friendship.

When the games ended, the Turkish team and Yang gave each other a long goodbye, leaving phone numbers, addresses, and promising to meet again in Turkey.

"They asked me to swear to call them if one day I would come to Turkey ... I really want to meet them soon," said the student in Turkish major at the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU).

Huang Lunlun, secretary of the BFSU committee of the Communist Youth League of China, said the university sent 898 teachers and students to volunteer in the Winter Olympics and 96 others at the 24-hour Beijing Multilingual Call Center during the event.

He told Xinhua that the games allowed these volunteers to give full play to their language expertise on occasions such as sports display, media operation, and liaison services.

Guan Bo, a teacher of Turkish at BFSU, told Xinhua that he has developed a warm friendship with several Turkish Olympic team members he greeted in person during the games.

"I wanted them to know that there are Chinese young people who are studying Turkish in China, and I wanted to welcome them face to face and speak in Turkish," said Guan, who also leads a volunteer team for the upcoming Winter Paralympics on March 4.

Erdem Dogan, sports director of the Turkish National Olympic Committee, described the work of the Olympic volunteers as "dedicated" and "incomparable," saying that they successfully forged a bridge between the organizers and the game participants.

"They ensured that the entire Olympic process passed in great comfort for all the Turkish team members," Dogan told Xinhua.