Chinese language makes steady inroads as students, traders pick up classes

Is the influence of years of friendly relations between Uganda and China being reflected in the learning trends and decisions made by Uganda’s youth, and consequently, Ugandan society?

In recent years, there has been popularity in learning Chinese, reflecting the effects of the intermingling of the two cultures as more Ugandan students flock to China, and Guangzhou becomes a trade destination of choice for most Ugandan traders.

For the better part of 63 years, China and Uganda have shared a friendly relationship that has fostered several economic and social opportunities for both countries.

Through a bilateral relationship that saw China sharing expertise, funding and personnel on developing special economic zones such as airports and industrial parks, and Uganda benefiting from the infrastructural development and obtaining loans without the ideological strings associated to funding from the West – it looks like a win/win relationship on paper.

With the deepening sistermance between the two countries, the Chinese people have taken a liking to Uganda’s food, weather, and wildlife, which has sparked curiosity and created an untapped market: Chinese citizens as a new source of international tourists to Uganda.

With such developments, the effects of China on Uganda come into question, specifically when looking into cultural aspects such as language. Is the presence of a Chinese workforce affecting Ugandan culture negatively? Positively? Or both?

Are there aspects of Chinese culture that could benefit us? In 2014, Makerere University, in partnership with China’s Xiangtan University, established the Confucius Institute, home to most of the higher- learning Chinese students in Uganda today.

When asked about where their interest in Chinese stemmed, students gave a mixture of answers, from a general love of the language, to finding a unique edge to supplement their degrees and the sheer number of attractive translator jobs accessible to those who know the language, even at a low level.

When The Observer spoke to Brian Kayongo, he said: “When I was starting to study Chinese, my impression of the language was not good. But slowly by slowly, I found out that Chinese as a language course is a very good choice because someone who has studied Chinese, within one year, is able to get a job if they are consistent, love the language, and are hardworking.”

Most students I talked to shared the same sentiment, sharing that the presence of Chinese investors and organizations obviously provided more job opportunities.

Trevor Ssekisambu, a third-year student at Makerere, said: “If I could use my Chinese anywhere, I’d love to be that bridge between African and Chinese businesses – helping Ugandan products reach Chinese markets and bringing in investment that genuinely helps our communities grow.”

But not all Ugandans who learned Chinese did so in Uganda. Val Mbabazi aka Lady Nyina on TikTok shared her journey learning Chinese in its home, China. Mbabazi’s journey began with a family trip where she and her family noticed that there was “obviously a language barrier” and a cultural barrier.

She told The Observer, however, that there was so much trade happening and so many foreigners, a subtle foreshadowing of her future as a foreigner in the land. Mbabazi would then end up studying in China after her cousin, who was in China at the time, suggested it would be a good opportunity for her.

Although she was just excited to be going to experience another country, her family encouraged her to learn Chinese, because with most things being manufactured in China, it could give her global exposure and reach.

Mbabazi said, she started by completing a Chinese language course and then continued to do a bachelor’s degree in International Trade and Economics with Chinese as the language of instruction.

Mbabazi is not the only Ugandan, or even African student, to follow the path of going straight to the source for their Chinese and education journeys. According to the ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, at least 81,000 African students were studying in China as of 2018, about 16 per cent of their total international student population, second only to the Asian student population.

Chinese as a language has very little in common with East African Languages and African languages in general. Have you seen its alphabet? This, paired with the variety of new cultures and backgrounds faced as an international student, can be quite daunting.

As an international student, Mbabazi recalled a time in her second year where she “got lost a bit” balancing interacting with multiple new cultures, trying to understand the main language – Keeping in touch with her Ugandanness, she thereafter “came back in full swing with a better understanding of herself and the cultures around her.

She noted that in China, “when you’re a foreigner, you really have to put in so much work to learn the language so that you can also keep up and catch up with them”, especially when the language of instruction is Chinese and the teachers expect all students to understand the level of Chinese they speak, whether they are Chinese nationals or not.

Despite its difficulties, students see learning Chinese as an opportunity to prepare for and take advantage of China’s increasing influence in Uganda and Africa at large. Presidential aspirant Godfrey Basiku shared that his initial attraction to learning Chinese stemmed from wanting to cut out the middleman, import products directly from China and attract investments that genuinely help local communities, a desire that grew from his childhood observation of the “Made in China” stickers and etchings he seemed to find on most items at his home and curiosity about where they came from.

A Makerere student, Stella Tibitondwa, believes that Chinese will be her path to employment in large, influential organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations as a translator.

“I would definitely want to be a professional translator one time in the UN or WHO. I believe I’ll earn enough experience from working in several Chinese sectors in Uganda,” she told The Observer.

Tibitondwa painted a picture of the future she is working towards, saying, “I believe I will serve my country better when I finally stabilize my Chinese skills, since I’d be sitting at the same table with affluent people who handle most economic issues with the president of Uganda.”

Although learning Chinese opens doors to career and economic stability and success, it also has an unexpected effect on students. Students were given a glimpse into Chinese culture beyond just language, giving them a chance to experience Chinese values.

Speaking to Joel Lubega Akiiki, he described Chinese culture as “adorable,” citing their value of unity as having helped him understand people. Lubega was also able to experience the Chinese cultural practice and martial art of Kung Fu, saying this experience kept him grounded and calm.

Livingstone Ssenyonjo shared that taking Chinese classes and interacting with Chinese people exposed him to their culture of discipline, saying “when they say they are going to do something, they do it”.

He also noted that they are a very respectful people, explaining that they have respect for one another, the people around them, and their superiors. He also observed that “they don’t always focus on what is on ground at the moment. They always think long-term”.

These experiences and so many others showcased Chinese values such as discipline, patience, respect for time and people, punctuality, and humility, both in class and through subsequent professional opportunities.

Students were privy to how these values have driven Chinese development in a real and tangible way by interacting with Chinese and enthusiasts in Uganda through school and employment opportunities.

Brian Kayongo, who had the opportunity to go to China for further studies, notes about his experience: “When I was in China, I discovered that these people always respect what they call time. So, if they say that a lecture is at 7am, even if it rains, even if it is winter… the lecturer will be there. So, I adapted to that culture.”

When asked about their opinions on the effect of the increased Chinese presence in Uganda, students said they believe it has been an overall positive, especially considering the number of jobs, scholarships and valuable cultural exchanges that have been facilitated by China.

Some mentioned growing concerns about the “soft Chinese colonialism”, especially now that the USA has withdrawn a lot of its economic support and Europe is restructuring its aid too, and emphasised the importance to preserve Uganda’s cultural identity while learning from our friends from the far East.

The experience Mbabazi shared with The Observer about losing her Ugandanness and then it “coming back full-swing” shows that although Ugandans may get lost exploring the Chinese culture, and any other culture they choose to explore, it presents an opportunity to come back more grounded in Ugandan culture while appreciating and adopting the most appropriate parts of other cultures.

This process could better Uganda’s ability to develop. Students believe that if more Ugandans adopted certain aspects of Chinese culture, the country would be better off.

Trevor Ssekisambu said: “It’s shaping how we do business, our work habits, and even small lifestyle choices. I think we just need to make sure we benefit from it while keeping our own culture strong.”

olowo.emilykate@gmail.com

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