Feature: First Portuguese-Chinese bilingual high school opens in Brazil

Sitting in the classroom of Brazil's first Portuguese-Chinese bilingual high school, 14-year-old Joao Victor is obviously excited: he finally gets the chance to learn the Chinese language at school, something he believes will give him a great boost when seeking employment in the future.

Victor is among the first 72 students selected from hundreds of applicants for the recently-opened bilingual school named after Brazil's famous mathematician Joaquim Gomes de Sousa.

Divided into three classes, these students will be taught by 20 local teachers who were recruited after a fierce competition: only one in ten high school teachers who applied for the job was chosen.

Currently they also have two Chinese teachers dispatched by China's Hebei Normal University, according to school authorities.

Before coming to this school located in Rio's sister city of Niteroi across Guanabara Bay, Vitor didn't know much about the Chinese language and only learned a few phrases through Kungfu movies.

In his opinion, the hand-writing of Chinese is very difficult, but Vitor still thinks he should try hard to learn since "mastering Chinese will be a great advantage for future employment in Brazil."

When addressing the first three classes at the bilingual high school, Chinese Consulate General Song Yang congratulated them for being the first students there.

Noting that China and Brazil are the largest developing countries respectively in the eastern and western hemispheres, the Chinese diplomat said the Chinese language is an essential tool to strengthen bilateral cultural exchanges and enhance friendship between the two sides.

"To learn Chinese is not a challenge but to open up future opportunities," said Song, who also encouraged students to seize the opportunity and study hard. He revealed that the Chinese embassy will provide outstanding students in the school with scholarships and opportunities to study in China.

When launching the school, Antonio Nunes, director of Rio's Department of Education, said the state government of Rio is always dedicated to establishing bilingual schools as they provide new methods for education in Brazil.

"This Portuguese-Chinese high school is the 27th in our 'bilingual school' project, and also a symbol of cultural exchanges between Brazil and China," Nunes said.

"China is one of the most powerful economies in the world, at the same time the Chinese language has been more than just a cultural symbol. It is of great significance for the development of Brazil-China economic cooperation as well," the Brazilian official added.

Qiao Jianzhen, dean of the Pontifical Catholic University Confucius Institute and promoter of the bilingual high school, said the Chinese language is not as difficult as many Brazilians think.

In fact, in terms of grammar, the Chinese language is much simpler than the Portuguese language, she said. "I hope the school can contribute to the development of cultural exchanges between the two countries." Endi