Botswana officials learning Chinese

Some 48 Botswana officials Thursday attended the first class of a basic Chinese training course in the capital city of Gaborone.

The course co-sponsored by the Chinese embassy to Botswana and Confucius Institute at the University of Botswana (CIUB) was exclusive for the officials from Botswana Police Service, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Labor and Home Affairs.

It aims to facilitate communication and overcome language barriers between Botswana officials and Chinese nationals, help Botswana officials communicate with Chinese easily and efficiently.

Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese embassy in Botswana Li Nan said the embassy held a similar language training program around 2010, which turned out to be a great success. This encouraged the embassy to resume the efforts.

State to state relationship rests on people to people relations and people to people communication form very basis of people to people friendship, partnership and working relationship, said Li.

"You will find Chinese nationals are just like ordinary Botswana people, they truly love this country and people," said Li.

The class was held on the campus of the University of Botswana, and was given by a selected teacher at CIUB. A Botswana national Gracious Masule who has 4 years Chinese learning experiences serves as an assistant tutor of the course.

After spending one year at the CIUB, Masule won a scholarship studying in China. He is now majoring in international Chinese education in Shanghai, and wants to work in the field related to Chinese after graduated. Endit