Tanzania students embrace Chinese-language studies

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania - For young Eglon Matto, Chinese language holds the key to his professional career in future.

"Practically, Chinese language holds the key to doing business," said Matto, 22, a third-year student majoring in chemical and process engineering at the University of Dar es Salaam, or UDSM, in Tanzania.

Matto is learning Chinese as an elective course at the Confucius Institute at the UDSM, established in 2013 under an agreement between UDSM and Zhejiang Normal University in China.

"I am interested in learning Chinese because China is a leading nation in terms of technology and economy. And learning Chinese gives me a good opportunity for doing business with Chinese," Matto said.

Apart from learning the Chinese language at the Confucius Institute, Matto said he also learns the language by listening to audios that he downloads from the internet.

"I have a lot of friends who are learning the Chinese language. I also watch several Chinese learning TV series and I watch Chinese movies," Matto said.

The Confucius Institute at the UDSM is established to meet Tanzania's growing need of understanding Chinese language, culture and increase mutual understanding among the peoples of China and Tanzania.

The institute also acts as a platform for sociopolitical and economic exchanges and collaborations between China and Tanzania.

In addition, the Confucius Institute is also linking UDSM students and Chinese companies in Tanzania, recommending job opportunities to the graduates.

Joseph Gurti, 25, a third-year student majoring in education at the UDSM, is also learning Chinese language at the Confucius Institute as an elective course.

"My Chinese name is Gu Qiao," Gurti said as he wrote down his Chinese name.

"I have about 15 friends who are learning Chinese language here at the Confucius Institute. I have decided to learn Chinese language because many Chinese companies in Tanzania offer good employment opportunities."

"The best way to grab these opportunities is to learn the Chinese language," he said.

The growing ties between China and Tanzania in recent years have attracted many Tanzanian students to learn Chinese language.

According to Tanzania Investment Center, trade between Tanzania and China continues to grow healthily and China is Tanzania's second-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment.

About 724 Chinese companies are registered with the TIC, while more Tanzanians are entering into partnerships in trade and investment with their Chinese counterparts.

Over the years, Chinese companies have built a number of mega projects in Tanzania, including roads and bridges, creating about 150,000 job opportunities. Some 350,000 Tanzanians are engaging in jobs relevant to trade with China, according to the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania.

Xinhua