Xiplomacy: Best wishes from Congo to China as new academic year starts

BRAZZAVILLE/XINING -- "Hello everyone, I wish you a happy 2024-2025 academic year," wrote Mvey-Likibi Sylvie Le Roy, a student at the Confucius Institute at Marien Ngouabi University in the Republic of the Congo, in a letter in Chinese.

After carefully folding the letter, he placed it in a special envelope issued jointly by China and the Republic of the Congo earlier this year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

The envelope featured the phrase "China-Congo long-lasting friendship" in both Chinese and French, along with images highlighting key points of bilateral cooperation. One such point is the Sino-Congolese Friendship Primary School in Yushu, China's western Qinghai province, the recipient of Le Roy's letter.

In April 2010, after a powerful earthquake struck Yushu, the government of the Republic of the Congo donated a primary school to Yushu, which was later named Sino-Congolese Friendship Primary School by President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

This school was mentioned by President Xi Jinping during his address to the parliament of the African nation during a state visit in March 2013. "Our two peoples have forged deep brotherly friendship in the course of overcoming hardships together and helping each other with all sincerity," said Xi.

As the new academic year begins, Le Roy's warm greetings from the African country to Chinese students tell a new story of China-Africa friendship.