Iraqi journalist Fang Haoming, who went viral for his 'Subject Three' dance, is engaged to a Xinjiang woman after 5 years. A cross-cultural love story.
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An Iraqi journalist, who is also a popular online celebrity in China and once recognized and praised by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, has recently announced his engagement to a woman from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The heartwarming news of the cross-cultural romance has touched many netizens, as the journalist has long been loved for his deep connection with China and his sincere longing for peace.
The journalist, whose full name is Ameen Muneer Mohammed Al-Obaidi, is better known by his Chinese name Fang Haoming. With around 5 million followers on Chinese social media, he currently works as a China correspondent for the Dubai-based China-Arab TV, dedicated to telling China's stories to the Arab world and promoting cultural and economic exchanges between China and the Middle East.
The 26-year-old first gained widespread fame in China in February 2024, when he joined other foreign journalists to perform the popular "Subject Three" street dance at a Spring Festival gala event organized by China's Foreign Ministry.
Videos of their lively performance went viral on social media, catching the attention of Foreign Minister Wang Yi himself. At a subsequent press conference, Wang Yi spotted Fang and playfully asked him: "Are you the young guy who danced the Subject Three? I saw the videos about you. Will you continue to dance?" This warm interaction further boosted Fang's popularity and highlighted his integration into Chinese culture.
It was not the first time Fang had attracted public attention in China. In October 2019, he was invited to attend the celebration event for the 70th birthday of the People's Republic of China. When he watched thousands of doves fly into the sky during the ceremony, Fang—who experienced two wars in his childhood—burst into tears. "I come from a war-torn country. I desperately hope the Middle East can resume peace," the tearful Fang told the media in fluent Chinese, moving countless people with his sincere longing for peace.
In early March 2026, Fang shared joyful news with the public: he is engaged. "We are engaged. So I am a son-in-law to a Chinese family. My fiancée is a girl from Xinjiang," he told a journalist friend from Sansha TV. He revealed that he and his fiancée studied at the same university in China and have been in a relationship for five years, nurturing their cross-cultural love through shared experiences and mutual understanding.
Fang's journey to China is a story of hope and rebirth. Born in Iraq in 2000, his family was forced to flee to Syria just months after the US attacked Iraq in 2003. In 2009, his elder sister met a Chinese student in Syria and they got married the following year. When a domestic war broke out in Syria in 2011, Fang's brother-in-law suggested the family move to his hometown in China to escape the conflict. Fang's father immediately sold all their belongings and took the entire family to Yinchuan, the capital city of Ningxia Hui autonomous region in northern China—where his brother-in-law was born and raised.
"I did not have a childhood before the age of 11. My biggest dream at that time was not sweets or toys, but to sleep well instead of being woken up by bombardment. Peace was a luxury for me," Fang recalled in an interview with news portal QQ.com.
He was deeply stunned by the peaceful life in Yinchuan: every evening, local elderly citizens danced in public squares in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere, a scene he could never have imagined in his war-torn homeland. "Here, peace is not a faraway word, but refers to dances on a square, smiles from ordinary neighbours and every night with a good sleep without the disturbance from guns or bombs," Fang said emotionally.
Fang spent his formative years in Yinchuan, attending local primary and secondary schools before being admitted to North Minzu University in the city, where he majored in international trade. This educational experience deepened his understanding of Chinese culture and society, laying the foundation for his future career as a bridge between China and the Arab world. Upon graduation in 2022, he turned down stable job offers to move to Beijing and work at China-Arab TV, covering China's foreign policy, scientific and technological developments, and other important topics .
Beyond his professional work, Fang also shares China's growth and development on his personal social media accounts. Last year alone, his videos were viewed around 100 million times, making him one of the most influential foreign content creators in China. In 2026, he further expanded his influence by publishing a Chinese book titled My Place of Rebirth and serving as an announcer and experience officer at China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala, where he witnessed the country's technological progress up close and shared his insights with a global audience .
Fang's story is more than just a cross-cultural romance or a personal journey of survival and success—it is a vivid testament to China's peace and inclusiveness. From a war-displaced child to a respected journalist and a soon-to-be Chinese son-in-law, he has fully immersed himself in Chinese culture and become a living bridge between China and the Middle East. His engagement to a Xinjiang woman not only celebrates love but also symbolizes the deep friendship and mutual understanding between different cultures and nations.
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Editor: Crystal H
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