Why Many Afghans Are Inspired to Learn Chinese

About two decades ago, very few Afghans could speak Chinese. The situation is different today.

Audience members watch a Chinese public speaking competition at Kabul University in Afghanistan on September 27. (Source: Xinhua)

According to Xinhua, the number of Afghans speaking and learning Chinese is constantly increasing as many students are interested in learning the language.

“I prefer to learn Chinese, because China is a rich country from every angle and my future will be brighter if I speak Chinese,” said Afghan student Sayed Karim Nemati.

According to Sayed Karim Nemati, “anyone who learns Chinese can easily progress and will have job andeducational opportunities in the future.”

“My goal is to learn about Chinese culture, its trade relations with Afghanistan, and the cultural relations between the two neighboring countries, because we have good relations with China and can learn from China’s rich culture,” said Nemati, a second-year student of Chinese Language and Literature at Kabul University.

Another young Afghan, Jawad, studies Chinese at Nangarhar University in eastern Afghanistan. He believes the number of young people studying Chinese is increasing in the eastern region.

Despite challenges such as lack of textbooks, lack of teachers and a tradition that discourages learning foreign languages, many young Afghans still prefer to learn Chinese, according to Jawad.

Participating in a Chinese speech contest at Kabul University on September 27, Jawad noted that China has a rich culture and is experiencing rapid economic development. The country's progress has led many Afghans to believe that their lives could also improve quickly if they learned the language.

The Chinese Language and Literature Department of Kabul University marked “Confucius Institute Day” in Kabul by organizing a competition among Chinese language learners. According to a faculty member, Hamid Ghulami, five teams competed in the competition and 17 made it to the finals.

Students participating in the presentation contest share their memories of learning Chinese. (Source: Xinhua)

With the theme “Chinese and Me”, the competition attracted about 120 guests from inside and outside the school. In their speeches, the contestants revealed how and when they started learning Chinese, their experiences in China, and the moments they participated in Chinese courses.

Mr. Hamid Ghulami said that the Chinese Language and Literature Department of Kabul University enrolls about 50 students each year and currently has about 80 students studying Chinese.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ly-do-nhieu-nguoi-afghanistan-duoc-truyen-cam-hung-hoc-tieng-trung-245236.html