Wu Chia-en, a student from Taiwan, was astonished by the before-and-after photos of Minning.

"The development of Minning was a joint effort by Fujian and Ningxia," Wu said.

"We came to consolidate that effort to make it a better place. It is my honor to have been part of it and to have felt the bond between the two places firsthand.

"The food there was spicy and delicious. People were so friendly and uncomplicated. Once I left a stool behind, and a villager reminded me to take better care of public property."

Law Ho-tin expressed similar feelings. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Law was impressed by the Helan Mountains and the Yellow River.

Residents welcomed their guests and left a deep impression on the students. "The villagers were very hospitable. They made us tea and bought us drinks and fruit for the hot weather," said Wang Jun-ding, a student from Taiwan.

"The project is a reflection of the friendship between Ningxia and Fujian," said Wang Jiaolai, a teacher at the College of Fine Arts at Huaqiao University.

"To follow up, our university will strengthen cooperation with the Minning government on IP design and development, creative product design, rural tourism planning and e-commerce."