In Juba, the capital of South Sudan in northeastern Africa, locals often greet people warmly with "Hello" and "China", which has become a unique phenomenon. Today, South Sudan’s “Chinese fever” continues to heat up, and more and more people are investing in the craze of learning Chinese.

Walking into Juba Middle School, melodious singing came. The students were earnestly learning and singing Chinese songs in the Chinese classroom, from the classic "When will the bright moon come, ask the blue sky with wine" to the popular "You ask me how deeply I love you, I love you a little bit." Their songs are full of love and pursuit of Chinese culture.

Next door to the Chinese classroom is the reading room of the South Sudan Chinese Language Learning Center. There are a large number of Chinese and English books and film and television DVDs reflecting Chinese culture, which opens a door to knowledge for South Sudanese students. On the walls of the reading room, there are introductions to the humanities and customs of China and South Sudan, as well as heart-warming stories between local students and China and the Chinese language, making people feel the deep roots of Chinese education in this land.

Since South Sudan's independence in 2011, millions of people have been displaced in this country, which has been plagued by civil war and natural disasters. Educational problems for children and youth are particularly prominent. Employment difficulties have become an urgent problem that needs to be solved, and learning Chinese provides them with a new employment path.

In 2021, the second phase of China's aid to South Sudan's educational technology project was launched in Juba, injecting new vitality into South Sudan's education. The project not only developed primary school English, mathematics, science and other teaching materials for South Sudan, but also trained teachers and educational managers, dispatched Chinese teachers to Juba to teach Chinese, and established a Chinese language learning center.

According to Wu Yonghui, the person in charge of the project in South Sudan, nearly 150,000 South Sudanese teachers and students have benefited from the project. More than 200 South Sudanese teachers have gone to China for training, and their education level and teaching ability have been significantly improved.

Kuyuk Abol Kuyuk, Deputy Minister of Basic Education and Guidance of South Sudan, also said that as one of the official languages of the United Nations, the importance of Chinese is self-evident. In the context of today's era when China plays an important role on the world stage, learning Chinese not only helps enhance exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, but is also an important way to the future for young people in South Sudan.

The vigorous development of Chinese education in South Sudan not only provides more employment opportunities for local people, but also promotes cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and South Sudan. As the “Chinese craze” continues to heat up, I believe that in the futureEditor/Cheng Liting