Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
Published: April 11,2025
Teachers and students learning Chinese language at the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam on Wednesday celebrated Chinese Language Day by watching a special performance of “Journey to the West,” a classic Chinese tale which features the Monkey King.
It is one of the most famous and beloved stories in China, enjoyed by people of all ages, said Musa Hans, the Tanzanian director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam. Hans encouraged students to analyze the story and draw lessons from it so as to strengthen their Chinese language skills.
Due to China’s rapid economic development and its growing influence in international affairs, the importance of learning the Chinese language has been recognized worldwide, Hans added.
“For my fellow Tanzanians, learning Chinese can open many employment opportunities,” he noted, adding that speaking Chinese allows them to study in China in fields such as engineering, technology, medicine and many others, providing a solid foundation for future employment.
Zhang Xiaozhen, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, said the celebration helped deepen mutual understanding and cultural exchange between China and Tanzania.
Learning Chinese not only enhances communication skills but also builds a bridge for long-term cooperation between the two countries, Zhang added.
The UN Language Days, launched in 2010, celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity and promote the equal use of the organization’s six official languages, namely Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Xinhua
