In November 2025, heavy rainfall caused floods in Al Ha'il Province, Saudi Arabia, and two employees of a Chinese funded enterprise were trapped in their vehicles when their vehicles overturned while driving through water. At a critical moment, Saudi youths Ahmed, Hamd, and Mubarak happened to be driving by and stopped without hesitation to save lives. In the video, Ahmed stepped into the turbulent water flow, pulled the trapped people out of the car, comforted them in Arabic with "don't be afraid", and then drove them to a safe location. This rescue video has received a lot of likes on social media in Saudi Arabia and China, becoming a hot topic on both countries' networks.  

Rescue Moment: Instinct Reaction Shows the Brilliance of Human Nature

When I saw someone trapped, my rescue was completely instinctive. At that time, I didn't think much, I just felt that someone's life was in danger, and I had a responsibility to immediately help them, "Ahmed said in an interview. The common virtue of the nation." After the rescue incident, Ambassador Chang Hua personally presented thank-you letters to the three young people, Commend their courage and kindness demonstrated in times of crisis. This spirit of hospitality and righteousness rooted in cultural genes is not only reflected in standing up in times of crisis, but also runs through every aspect of Saudi people's daily lives. A spontaneous civilian rescue has evolved into an emotional resonance between the two peoples, and has also shown more Chinese people a warm and humane Saudi society.

Warm Follow up: A Friendship Journey from Ha'il to Beijing

Recently, Ahmed, one of the young people who saved lives, was invited to visit China for the first time and was a guest at the Saudi Embassy in China. Saudi Ambassador to China Abdulrahman met with Ahmed and highly praised their heroic actions, thanking them for their noble heroic spirit, which reflects Saudi Arabia's excellent culture.  

This trip to China is a profound journey of perception for Ahmed. Although I know that China has a long history, it is only by coming here that I truly appreciate the friendliness of the Chinese people and the profound culture. "He said that he is still in contact with the rescued engineers and has started planning to learn Chinese." I will definitely come back. "Ahmed also extended a sincere invitation to his Chinese friends for a trip to Saudi Arabia:" If you want to experience the magnificent history, you can go to El Ola; if you want to experience the hospitality and tradition of the Saudis, Al Ha'il is a good choice; if you want to witness the modern development and novel experience of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh will give you a lot of surprises. Each city showcases different aspects of Saudi Arabia's beauty

Cultural Year Opportunity: China Saudi Arabia Exchange Enters a New Stage

2025 marks the China Saudi Arabia Cultural Year, and cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen in areas such as tourism, art, and youth exchanges. Taking this as an opportunity, Saudi Arabia has launched a series of tourism convenience measures for Chinese citizens: adding direct flights from China to Saudi Arabia, simplifying the electronic visa process, adding Chinese language services to major venues, and providing customized itineraries from travel agencies, allowing Chinese tourists to experience Saudi culture more easily and deeply.  

The Saudi Ministry of Education also plans to add 12 high schools offering Chinese language courses by 2026, further promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries. Data shows that since 2025, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Saudi Arabia has significantly increased, and Saudi Arabia is becoming a popular emerging tourist destination. Today's Saudi Arabia has long surpassed many people's traditional impressions of deserts and oil, showcasing its true charm beyond labels to Chinese tourists with its fresh appearance and sustained release of cultural and tourism vitality. Here, there are both historical relics of Elora that have been deposited for thousands of years, as well as clear and pleasant vacation destinations along the Red Sea coast; There are both the simple and warm folk traditions of the Ha'il region and the thriving modern urban landscape of Riyadh.  

This winter, Saudi Arabia will also welcome a series of cultural and tourism events: the MDLBeast Music Festival will once again ignite the desert night sky, the soon to open Qidia Entertainment City will provide comprehensive experiences such as theme parks and water sports, and various international sports events will also be held one after another. The warm and dry winter climate is especially suitable for Chinese tourists to "avoid the cold and winter" and experience the atmosphere of the exotic Spring Festival.  

From rescue to reunion, from cultural exchange to tourism exchange, Ahmed's personal story is a vivid epitome of the development of China Saudi Arabia relations in recent years. A helping hand that begins with instinct, connecting the sincere friendship between ordinary people of the two countries; A sincere visit makes this friendship even warmer and more solid in the context of the China Saudi Arabia Cultural Year.Editor/Yang Meiling