“Hello, I’m Lao Yang.” These days, every time I introduce myself to my Chinese partners, I feel that while I’m without doubt Chinese, I’m more accurately Chinese-from-Austria. However especially after five years of working with ZRTG, I am compelled to recognize the truth in the old oriental aphorism of “a close friend far away brings a distant land near”, especially true in the traditional Chinese culture. Much like friendships among Westerners, there are no geographical boundaries between Chinese friends, and once two souls recognize each other, even if they are at the two ends of the earth, they will not stop reaching out and communicating frequently. And so my connections with Austria and my old friends back home have made it possible for me to appreciate both countries, their cultures and especially the fascinating peoples of both lands. I’d like to take this opportunity to compare and examine the similarities between these two, on the face of it, quite different places.

The world knows well enough the major changes that have taken place in China in recent years, and I have personally witnessed them on my frequent visits. For example, like many of you, I had seen footage and images of Hangzhou Bay Sea-crossing Bridge, but it wasn’t until I saw it with my own eyes, that the awe of immersion truly gripped me. Another example is the technological avant-garde across time and space of AI town in Hangzhou, which left me unable to define just where I was, and quite suddenly, I had the illusion of encountering an alien civilization much more advanced than our own.

When I talked to my colleagues and friends in Austria about what I had seen in China, they were instantly curious and put it on top of their travel list in the future. Similarly, Chinese people are endlessly attracted by the natural beauty, quaint villages and unspoiled traditions Austria is home to. Showing pictures of my life here is a popular activity when I return home – it seems I can never tell enough stories about this, by comparison, tiny place in the mountains of Europe. Austrians are fascinated by a land of 1.4 billion people that often seems made of the future. Chinese in turn have not only heard of this much smaller land, they can’t wait to hear more about it and come to visit. Perhaps the reason can be found in the similarities, however unlikely they might seem, between the two countries.

Consider Austrian and Chinese music. Vienna, the city known as the musical capital of the world, has attracted countless conservatory students andtourists to visit it over the years. In those overseas minds, the similarities between Austrian music and Chinese music boil down to the following. Chinese friends associate Austrian music with the venerable Beethoven and Mozart; likewise, when Austrians mention Chinese music, their associations are the poetic and picturesque charm of  as well as , the gongs and drums of Beijing Opera. While these symbols of classical music help the two countries to promote their own national quintessence to the world, they also limit the opportunity of promoting the contemporary musical art both places undoubtedly produce in great quality and quantity. Just as there are not only  and in China, but also talented contemporary artists and singers, there are not only Mozart and Beethoven in Austria, but also avant-garde electronic music, contemporary dance, and avant-garde painting. For both countries the “classical” artistic tradition is so dominant in the perception and self-image of their people, that it can be difficult to find the newer and exciting art that is being made. It could be said that both countries are ‘victims’ of their own historical success, in this way.

Let us turn our attention to another one of the great pleasures shared by both Austrians and Chinese: food. The food culture in Austria has both similarities and differences with China. The similarities seem to outweigh the differences, however. Just consider that where the most broadly available and celebrated dishes on the Austrian menu are Schnitzels (pork escalope) and Tafelspitz (stewed beef), China has Red braised pork belly, and chili cooked beef. Both countries enjoy what you might call traditional, honest and hearty fare. While there are of course modern, urban chefs working in both countries, the majority seems happy with ‘mother’s cooking’. The most popular dishes in both countries are meat-related. And similar to Chinese meat ingredients, Austria is also a country with a big veneration for pork as the main meat ingredient. Austrians, like their Chinese counterparts, enjoy a good drink with their porky delights. The beer and wine consumption is high in both countries, Austria is known for high wine quality from small production amounts. So far, Austrian and Chinese wines have both been sold mainly domestically, and they are hard to find overseas. Both countries are shifting gears to ensure their wines and beers are more broadly marketed and consumed. Perhaps a partnership amongst both countries could be fruitful here?

Next, let’s look at popular media. I have been hearing some Chinese-styled romantic love stories from my friends since I began to know China better. Many of those stories began with the innocent friendships of childhood, and after numerous ups and downs, they develop into a stable couple, and their love will usually last a lifetime. While my heart is envious, I would also like to talk a bit about the Austrian-styled love story. In my opinion, the geographical location of Austria in central Europe has a certain influence on the character of the local people. Traditional Austrian women and men can be quite conservative in the selection of “the perfect partner”. This leads to occasional disappointments and lonely souls. For this, Austrian national broadcasting invented a TV format called “Love Stories and Marriage Matters”, which has been broadcasted since 1997. It is a program consisting of interviewing people with dating wishes. It visits those singles looking for their life partners, drawing as complete an image of the candidate's personality as possible for the audience. So far, 23 seasons have been produced, and the duration of each episode has been extended from the initial 25 minutes to the current 48 minutes. As a traditional TV dating program, it has not been replaced under the impact of online dating. On the contrary, it becomes more and more popular every year. It has something to do with the recognition of the strong audience of die-hard fans behind it. On the other hand, young Austrian generations wouldn’t follow the traditional route—which is similar to those of China—it is also quite common for them to screen dating opportunities through online platforms. This is suitable for an efficient lifestyle under the high-intensity work conditions we must deal with in contemporary China.

How time flies! The end of 2019 is upon us. And my greatest satisfaction of this year should be my friendship with ZRTG becoming deeper. For the upcoming 2020 and the years to come, and, on behalf of Okto TV, Austria, I’d like to send my dear old friends of ZRTG an Austrian greeting. And I hope our friendship will last forever—no matter how time flies, what remains changeless is our friendship. And I wish China have a more prosperous future!