Visiting Sudan was my first trip to Africa, and I was more than a little surprised when one of the first things I saw after touching down at Khartoum International Airport was the Chinese flag.

It was printed on a green shuttle bus along with the words "China Aid". I instantly got the feeling that the country was not as far from my motherland as I'd imagined.

Omer Eisa Ahmed, the Sudanese ambassador in Beijing, had told me China is the biggest supporter of his nation's economy.

"It not only gives Sudan financial aid, but also helps us with the construction of basic infrastructure," he said.

Those words were going through my mind as I traveled from the airport to my hotel in downtown Khartoum, where I passed numerous advertisements for the Chinese telecom giant Huawei and Chinese-made vehicles.

Before visiting Sudan, all I knew about the country had been gleaned from typical reports in the Western media about conflict and violence. Naturally, my family was concerned about my safety, but wandering around the streets of Khartoum was one of my most amazing travel experiences.

In 2015, Sudan's GDP was $97.16 billion, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Meanwhile, the latest report from the World Bank said growth was expected to hit 6.2 percent last year and 6 percent this year, despite the fall in the price of oil and reduced gold purchases by the African country's central bank.

Despite that, the country is underdeveloped, and half the population lives below the poverty line.

The people are kind and their lifestyle is slow-paced. You hardly hear any arguments or witness any conflict, and the people are extremely friendly toward the Chinese.

I met Hamid and Elshelkh in the street. Both were born and raised in the city and are now studying international politics at the University of Khartoum. They saw I was carrying a camera, so they asked me to take a photo of them.

After telling them I was from China, we sat on a step in front of a store and chatted. They showed great interest in China and asked lots of questions about Asia.

"I've never been to China," Hamid said, in fluent English. "But I know China is a good and old country, and relations between China and Sudan are very close."

He showed me around and told me that, contrary to reports in the Western media, the streets of Sudan are safe for foreign tourists, even those traveling alone.

"If you want to know about the lives of Sudanese people, go to a local supermarket and eat something there," he said, leading me into a big store.

My new Sudanese friends treated me to local snacks at the supermarket to give me a real taste of their country.

"As the host, it's my duty to invite my Chinese friend to experience Sudan, and it is not appropriate to let a guest pay," Hamid said.

It was only my first day in the country, yet I felt the strong connection between Sudan and China, two ancient nations with an exciting, shared future.

Hamid (right) and Elshelkh, students at the University of Khartoum.Ren Qi / China Daily