Understanding the important role of fostering friendship and promoting peaceful coexistence
China-Africa relations have occupied my youth era and remain so. The great country of the People's Republic of China and her people have influenced me since I saw the first batch of Chinese people in the 1970s more than 40 years ago. The situation, environment, or background that I meet or contact with the Chinese people are different, but one thing has never changed. That is the friendship of the Chinese people and the tremendous efforts made to increase friendship.
For more than 40 years, I have travelled all over the world. I love to travel. I believe traveling can enrich people's thinking and promote understanding of various cultures and races. The variety of people and cultures that you come into contact with during your travels can increase your ability to question, understand, and eliminate misunderstandings and conflicts. I have lived and studied on all continents of the world and I believe that I have a certain understanding of global affairs. Living in China and dealing with people of different identities has given me a unique understanding of this great civilization. Even today I am still struggling to deepen her understanding.
The ¡°Africa Barometer¡± survey recently conducted by the Institute of Poverty Alleviation in Tanzania shows that Chinese people are more liked by Tanzanians than people in other countries. Tanzanians think they are closer to the Chinese. Why is this? The scientific survey of the "African Barometer" gives the reason. And I would like to supplement the survey findings with more than 30 years of experience in working and living with Chinese people.
In this article, I would like to point out that one of the key reasons why the Chinese are loved by Tanzanians is that the Chinese are willing to spend time and energy in building meaningful friendships before engaging in activities such as contact and negotiation. Coincidentally, at the time of writing this article, my wife and I were invited to dinner by a Chinese couple. When talking about the business environment in Tanzania, our friends said that "Friendship is more meaningful than business, and what's more important is that Friendship can last longer than business.¡± This unique but basic position of the Chinese people makes them closer to Africans. Friendship is the foundation of all meaningful personal connections. It is an important starting point for dialogues or conversations between people. It is the cornerstone of all success. It is at the individual, group or society level. Having a meal, drinking tea, singing karaoke, dancing or other social activities will make people relax and enjoy a favorable position in social dialogue. This tradition has proved effective for generations and is cherished by the people of Central Africa. Friendship usually promotes understanding because it enables both or more parties to become open and transparent.
The special function of social dialogue or contact in cultivating friendship and social cohesion is that during the process of discussion, dialogue, dinner or dance, all parties can increase mutual understanding.
Related to this, understanding between individuals, groups, and society is generally a daunting task. People's goals and objectives are diverse and often subject to change, depending on their environment and conditions, including their needs, preferences, and necessity. Our dear Chinese friends have mastered the art of understanding other cultures. Inspired by the strong culture of seeking knowledge, China is committed to understanding the culture of other countries. The Chinese people¡¯s long tradition of excellence has unique advantages for Chinese people to understand African friends. Therefore, I am convinced that this is the reason why the ¡°African Barometer¡± survey conducted by the Institute of Poverty Alleviation reveals that Chinese people are liked by Tanzanians. Chinese officials and explorers began to work hard to understand Africans from 730 to 805 and strengthened their cooperation with Africa. Du Huan of the Tang Dynasty described his experience of visiting North Africa in the book of ¡°The Chronicle of the Warriors.¡± After he returned to China, he vividly recorded his experience of traveling through Africa by land. These written records were supplemented by Jia Jun, another official of the Tang Dynasty. Jia Lu is a famous geographer who also traveled to Africa. What he seeks is geographical research work, not military control.
During the year of Zhenyuan, in 798 AD, Chinese ships sailed to the coast of East Africa and visited the trading port of Bagomoyo. A recent study by Chinese and African scholars from the Center for African Studies at Peking University found that Chinese travelers arrived in Africa after reaching the period and reached the Malindi in Kenya. All these journeys are to seek knowledge, understanding and cooperation. Books, Chinese artworks influenced by Africa, and centuries-old coins and porcelain fragments found in Bagamoyo indicate that the Chinese seek friendship and trade opportunities through understanding and understanding Africa. Seeking friendship is one of the natural goals of Chinese explorers and businessmen. There is no written evidence or material showing that the Chinese had had clashes with the locals hundreds of years ago in Bagamoyo or Malindi.
Chinese curiosity and the desire for knowledge and understanding of the world make them invest a great deal in understanding others. This investment has been continuing for thousands of years. The Chinese Communist Party insists on the fundamental principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, mutual respect, and equal cooperation. It is consistent in China-Africa relations. The Communist Party of China has a profound vision and has inherited this tradition, which has been tested for decades, and must be commended for this. Understanding other cultures and communicating with them are important pillars for alleviating possible potential conflicts. They are also time-tested paths for establishing, nurturing, and maintaining long-lasting friendships. Understanding others and actively engaging with them will in turn encourage others to understand themselves. Once mutual understanding is established, there will be respect and non-interference that will pave the way for peaceful coexistence.
As mentioned earlier, the first time I met the Chinese was in the mid-1970s. That is the new capital of Tanzania, Dodoma. In the evening, I was playing football with my friends. Under the canopy of red and orange, the sun sank and the night went dark. Under the stifling sunset of Africa, a group of middle-aged foreigners approached us and joined our football match. What makes us excited is that these 5-7 foreigners can speak very authentic Swahili language. I am sure they have lost to us deliberately. They are a lot older than we are. After the match, the Chinese doctor sent us a famous white rabbit's toffee made from pure milk. We can't wait to put sugar in our mouth. At the time of farewell, the Chinese doctor reminded us to brush our teeth before going to bed at night and gave us a toothbrush and toothpaste. Recalling this, this is indeed an excellent strategy to win children's approval, and it is also a good idea to tell them about health knowledge. At that time, the scene was vivid until today. Many young Chinese doctors have left their homes and volunteered to deliver health knowledge and provide medical services to remote parts of Africa. Medical services are usually free, and most people are on the verge of development, have low incomes, struggle under the poverty line, and are unable to pay for medical expenses. The actions and sincere help of Chinese brothers and sisters have won favors from Africans and deserve praise.
In the past 30 years, I often went to China, met many Chinese families, and even recognized a Chinese couple as my parents. My Chinese parents played a pivotal role in my growing up from childhood to the present. Although my Chinese father has passed away, his wife is still active and manages the ¡°African Town¡± African Art Museum in Songzhuang, a suburb of Beijing. The couple donated many Tanzanian artworks to the National Museum and Changchun Museum. Recently, they donated artwork to the Shanghai Museum of Natural History. All the artworks are paid out of their meager income and have not received any funding. The couple lived in Tanzania for about 30 years and spent a lot of energy to learn and understand Tanzanians and other Africans through artworks. In Africa, art portrays social hopes, fears, appeals, and feelings. This is a vivid example of a Chinese learning other cultures and knowledge, understanding other cultures, establishing friendship through different media, promoting cooperation and achieving peaceful coexistence.
China's family structure is very similar to that of Africa and it is usually a few generations. The ancestors lived with the rest of the family and raised their grandchildren to tell about meaningful folk tales in their lives. When grandchildren made improper behaviors, they would be excused. Grandparents are an integral part of life.
Both China and Africa have similar history of being occupied, plundered and colonized. China's great victory from foreign occupation and colonization and its development on the basis of hunger and poverty have made her the best partner and role model for Africa. China understands Africa and has established and maintained a meaningful friendship with Africans. Despite some cultural differences, the two cultures are not much different in general and have the same sense of destiny. Although China and Africa are geographically far apart, China and Africa are close friends. China and Africa are seeking true friendship and there is no fraud. There has never been a plunder in China-Africa relations. As the Chinese proverb says, "those with like-mindedness can't be separated even though they are thousands of miles apart." This proverb verifies the lasting friendship between China and Africa.
In the end, I would like to pay tribute to the ancestors who have for centuries improved their understanding of China and Africa. I also want to pay tribute to the leaders who strive for independence and independence. They are firmly committed to rebuilding an equal and respectful society, realizing development and establishing friendship. It is precisely because of the important role they have played that all this has been achieved, albeit at a great price. The Communist Party of China attaches great importance to the establishment of institutions that promote international understanding. The China International Association has also done a lot of work in promoting international understanding.
Based on the efforts of the Central African people over the centuries, the peoples of China and Africa have great feelings for each other and cooperate in such areas as agriculture and scientific research, cultural exchanges, politics and diplomacy, education, and sports. Recently, China-Africa non-governmental trade has achieved a huge leap forward, and civil interaction and exchanges have been frequent. Initiatives to promote civil interaction and contacts between China and Africa have played an important role. In any country and political system, social change and development begins with individuals, and individuals are the key. There is an ancient Chinese saying, "Drinking water does not forget to dig wells." We have every reason to bear in mind the leaders who have made unremitting efforts to restore, inherit, and maintain China-Africa friendly relations. We have no reason to slow down the sound development momentum of China-Africa relations that began with our ancestors. We must devote more time and energy to understanding each other¡¯s Demand, continuous contact and exchange channels, mutual respect and common development.
For more than 40 years, I have travelled all over the world. I love to travel. I believe traveling can enrich people's thinking and promote understanding of various cultures and races. The variety of people and cultures that you come into contact with during your travels can increase your ability to question, understand, and eliminate misunderstandings and conflicts. I have lived and studied on all continents of the world and I believe that I have a certain understanding of global affairs. Living in China and dealing with people of different identities has given me a unique understanding of this great civilization. Even today I am still struggling to deepen her understanding.
The ¡°Africa Barometer¡± survey recently conducted by the Institute of Poverty Alleviation in Tanzania shows that Chinese people are more liked by Tanzanians than people in other countries. Tanzanians think they are closer to the Chinese. Why is this? The scientific survey of the "African Barometer" gives the reason. And I would like to supplement the survey findings with more than 30 years of experience in working and living with Chinese people.
In this article, I would like to point out that one of the key reasons why the Chinese are loved by Tanzanians is that the Chinese are willing to spend time and energy in building meaningful friendships before engaging in activities such as contact and negotiation. Coincidentally, at the time of writing this article, my wife and I were invited to dinner by a Chinese couple. When talking about the business environment in Tanzania, our friends said that "Friendship is more meaningful than business, and what's more important is that Friendship can last longer than business.¡± This unique but basic position of the Chinese people makes them closer to Africans. Friendship is the foundation of all meaningful personal connections. It is an important starting point for dialogues or conversations between people. It is the cornerstone of all success. It is at the individual, group or society level. Having a meal, drinking tea, singing karaoke, dancing or other social activities will make people relax and enjoy a favorable position in social dialogue. This tradition has proved effective for generations and is cherished by the people of Central Africa. Friendship usually promotes understanding because it enables both or more parties to become open and transparent.
The special function of social dialogue or contact in cultivating friendship and social cohesion is that during the process of discussion, dialogue, dinner or dance, all parties can increase mutual understanding.
Related to this, understanding between individuals, groups, and society is generally a daunting task. People's goals and objectives are diverse and often subject to change, depending on their environment and conditions, including their needs, preferences, and necessity. Our dear Chinese friends have mastered the art of understanding other cultures. Inspired by the strong culture of seeking knowledge, China is committed to understanding the culture of other countries. The Chinese people¡¯s long tradition of excellence has unique advantages for Chinese people to understand African friends. Therefore, I am convinced that this is the reason why the ¡°African Barometer¡± survey conducted by the Institute of Poverty Alleviation reveals that Chinese people are liked by Tanzanians. Chinese officials and explorers began to work hard to understand Africans from 730 to 805 and strengthened their cooperation with Africa. Du Huan of the Tang Dynasty described his experience of visiting North Africa in the book of ¡°The Chronicle of the Warriors.¡± After he returned to China, he vividly recorded his experience of traveling through Africa by land. These written records were supplemented by Jia Jun, another official of the Tang Dynasty. Jia Lu is a famous geographer who also traveled to Africa. What he seeks is geographical research work, not military control.
During the year of Zhenyuan, in 798 AD, Chinese ships sailed to the coast of East Africa and visited the trading port of Bagomoyo. A recent study by Chinese and African scholars from the Center for African Studies at Peking University found that Chinese travelers arrived in Africa after reaching the period and reached the Malindi in Kenya. All these journeys are to seek knowledge, understanding and cooperation. Books, Chinese artworks influenced by Africa, and centuries-old coins and porcelain fragments found in Bagamoyo indicate that the Chinese seek friendship and trade opportunities through understanding and understanding Africa. Seeking friendship is one of the natural goals of Chinese explorers and businessmen. There is no written evidence or material showing that the Chinese had had clashes with the locals hundreds of years ago in Bagamoyo or Malindi.
Chinese curiosity and the desire for knowledge and understanding of the world make them invest a great deal in understanding others. This investment has been continuing for thousands of years. The Chinese Communist Party insists on the fundamental principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, mutual respect, and equal cooperation. It is consistent in China-Africa relations. The Communist Party of China has a profound vision and has inherited this tradition, which has been tested for decades, and must be commended for this. Understanding other cultures and communicating with them are important pillars for alleviating possible potential conflicts. They are also time-tested paths for establishing, nurturing, and maintaining long-lasting friendships. Understanding others and actively engaging with them will in turn encourage others to understand themselves. Once mutual understanding is established, there will be respect and non-interference that will pave the way for peaceful coexistence.
As mentioned earlier, the first time I met the Chinese was in the mid-1970s. That is the new capital of Tanzania, Dodoma. In the evening, I was playing football with my friends. Under the canopy of red and orange, the sun sank and the night went dark. Under the stifling sunset of Africa, a group of middle-aged foreigners approached us and joined our football match. What makes us excited is that these 5-7 foreigners can speak very authentic Swahili language. I am sure they have lost to us deliberately. They are a lot older than we are. After the match, the Chinese doctor sent us a famous white rabbit's toffee made from pure milk. We can't wait to put sugar in our mouth. At the time of farewell, the Chinese doctor reminded us to brush our teeth before going to bed at night and gave us a toothbrush and toothpaste. Recalling this, this is indeed an excellent strategy to win children's approval, and it is also a good idea to tell them about health knowledge. At that time, the scene was vivid until today. Many young Chinese doctors have left their homes and volunteered to deliver health knowledge and provide medical services to remote parts of Africa. Medical services are usually free, and most people are on the verge of development, have low incomes, struggle under the poverty line, and are unable to pay for medical expenses. The actions and sincere help of Chinese brothers and sisters have won favors from Africans and deserve praise.
In the past 30 years, I often went to China, met many Chinese families, and even recognized a Chinese couple as my parents. My Chinese parents played a pivotal role in my growing up from childhood to the present. Although my Chinese father has passed away, his wife is still active and manages the ¡°African Town¡± African Art Museum in Songzhuang, a suburb of Beijing. The couple donated many Tanzanian artworks to the National Museum and Changchun Museum. Recently, they donated artwork to the Shanghai Museum of Natural History. All the artworks are paid out of their meager income and have not received any funding. The couple lived in Tanzania for about 30 years and spent a lot of energy to learn and understand Tanzanians and other Africans through artworks. In Africa, art portrays social hopes, fears, appeals, and feelings. This is a vivid example of a Chinese learning other cultures and knowledge, understanding other cultures, establishing friendship through different media, promoting cooperation and achieving peaceful coexistence.
China's family structure is very similar to that of Africa and it is usually a few generations. The ancestors lived with the rest of the family and raised their grandchildren to tell about meaningful folk tales in their lives. When grandchildren made improper behaviors, they would be excused. Grandparents are an integral part of life.
Both China and Africa have similar history of being occupied, plundered and colonized. China's great victory from foreign occupation and colonization and its development on the basis of hunger and poverty have made her the best partner and role model for Africa. China understands Africa and has established and maintained a meaningful friendship with Africans. Despite some cultural differences, the two cultures are not much different in general and have the same sense of destiny. Although China and Africa are geographically far apart, China and Africa are close friends. China and Africa are seeking true friendship and there is no fraud. There has never been a plunder in China-Africa relations. As the Chinese proverb says, "those with like-mindedness can't be separated even though they are thousands of miles apart." This proverb verifies the lasting friendship between China and Africa.
In the end, I would like to pay tribute to the ancestors who have for centuries improved their understanding of China and Africa. I also want to pay tribute to the leaders who strive for independence and independence. They are firmly committed to rebuilding an equal and respectful society, realizing development and establishing friendship. It is precisely because of the important role they have played that all this has been achieved, albeit at a great price. The Communist Party of China attaches great importance to the establishment of institutions that promote international understanding. The China International Association has also done a lot of work in promoting international understanding.
Based on the efforts of the Central African people over the centuries, the peoples of China and Africa have great feelings for each other and cooperate in such areas as agriculture and scientific research, cultural exchanges, politics and diplomacy, education, and sports. Recently, China-Africa non-governmental trade has achieved a huge leap forward, and civil interaction and exchanges have been frequent. Initiatives to promote civil interaction and contacts between China and Africa have played an important role. In any country and political system, social change and development begins with individuals, and individuals are the key. There is an ancient Chinese saying, "Drinking water does not forget to dig wells." We have every reason to bear in mind the leaders who have made unremitting efforts to restore, inherit, and maintain China-Africa friendly relations. We have no reason to slow down the sound development momentum of China-Africa relations that began with our ancestors. We must devote more time and energy to understanding each other¡¯s Demand, continuous contact and exchange channels, mutual respect and common development.