A Chinese photographer has mounted an exhibit in Brussels, Belgium, focusing on the lives of Africans who live in Guangzhou City in Guangdong Province, according to the Global Times.
Li Dong's exhibit "Africans in China," happening at RecyclArt Cultural Center, provides a glimpse into the everyday lives of the African traders and their families who have settled on the city's Baohanhijie Street in Yuexue district, along with their interaction and co-existence with the Chinese locals.
Johan Leman, former chief of staff of Belgium's Royal Commissioner for Immigration policy, described the photos as being of "very high quality."
"The photos show different aspects of the life of African immigrants in China. Immigration is a phenomenon of globalization, it follows the development and fortune. Africans are getting increasingly interested in China, which means development and modernization are progressing very well in China," the 40-year-old immigration affairs veteran said.
African businessmen started settling in the district in 2002 and have gradually increased in number over the years.
Approximately 12,000 African immigrants are living in the district currently, according to Li.
"Africans in China" is reportedly gaining attention from Chinese and foreign economists and sociologists.
The photographs on display in the exhibit had previouly been shown in Cologne, Germany, and Paris, France.
The ongoing exhibition in Brussels will run until Dec. 11.