Language learning bridges Arab ties

On a trading floor inside Shishi clothing city in Fujian province, Egyptian businessman Hany Sobhy stood before a group of Chinese merchants, reading out Arabic words projected on a large screen during a free Arabic training course that he initiated.

"Keef halik," he said, pointing to a row of seemingly odd Chinese characters — actually phonetic annotations designed to help his students pronounce the Arabic greeting correctly. "Al-alwan," he read, tracing the word for "colors". One by one, the students echoed him, reading the Arabic words aloud.

The curriculum includes Arabic numerals, phrases for quantities and colors, packaging terms — "all practical business expressions", Sobhy explained.

Thousands of miles away in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, young learners gather in smart classrooms for Chinese language sessions. In front of them, screens glow with audio links, animated clips and interactive games, while each desk is stocked with talking pens, flashcards and illustrated storybooks.

As online tutors appear on the screens, local teachers stand by to provide face-to-face support.

"Over 100 people inquire about our online Chinese courses daily. That shows just how popular learning Chinese has become across the Arab world," said Essam Audam Adam Ahamed, general manager of international marketing at Wisdom House International Culture Communication Group, a company dedicated to teaching Chinese to Arabic-speaking communities.

"For young Arabs, learning Chinese used to be a hobby; now it is increasingly seen as a pathway to future careers," he said. "Learning Chinese opens up new opportunities."

The surging enthusiasm for learning Chinese and Arabic stems from a shared desire to deepen mutual understanding between China and Arab states. For centuries, Chinese and Arab civilizations have connected through trade and people-to-people exchanges. Today, that connection is being rejuvenated amid the trend for learning each other's languages.

Noting that language is the best key to understanding a country, President Xi Jinping said he is sincerely glad that the youths in Saudi Arabia have learned about a colorful, multidimensional and comprehensive China through learning Chinese.

Learning each other's language and understanding each other's history and culture will help promote mutual understanding and bring the two peoples closer together, Xi said in a reply letter in 2022 to students learning Chinese.

From barriers to bonds

When Sobhy first came to China in 2015, he never expected that language would be such a huge barrier. He struggled to order meals at restaurants and negotiate with garment suppliers, relying entirely on hand gestures.

Constant interactions with Chinese friends and business clients helped him gradually grasp the language. Today, he makes phone calls, sends text messages effortlessly in Chinese, and runs seven companies in China.

Sobhy started teaching local merchants Arabic in 2019, when he found that most Arab buyers, like him at one time, spoke little Chinese or English.

Among his students is Zheng Lang, an English-major-turned-merchant at Shishi clothing city, where clients mainly come from Arab states, South America and Central Asia. "Mastering the language gives me an upper hand," Zheng said. "At the very least, I can communicate smoothly and grasp their demands instantly."

For Zheng, language has opened a door that leads not merely to business, but more importantly, mutual trust. Having worked in the garment trade for a decade, Zheng said her Arab clients all speak highly of made-in-China goods, saying that China is incredibly capable.

As mutual trust has deepened between Chinese and Arab traders, a growing number of Arabs have flocked to the clothing city. Mohammed Alqubati, who earned his doctorate in mathematics in China, spotted untapped business opportunities amid this trend and opened a restaurant serving Arab cuisine.

"Many new Arab merchants have no idea where to source factories, retail outlets and raw materials, so they often come to the restaurant for advice," Alqubati said, stressing that the venue has gradually become a hub for cultural exchanges, social gatherings and business negotiations.

Both the clothing market and the Arab restaurant stand as vivid footnotes to the exchanges between China and Arab states over the past 70 years, a journey tracing back to 1956 when Egypt became the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

Ahmed Mustafa Fahmy, head of the League of Arab States' China representative office, said: "The China-Arab relationship is defined by a high degree of strategic mutual trust. This trust has been built not only over the past seven decades, but can be traced back to the era of the ancient Silk Road."

The relationship between the two sides has always been characterized by mutual trust, mutual learning and mutual benefit, and there never have been strategic differences, he told China International Communications Group in a recent interview.

Deeper understanding

China has signed cooperation documents within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative with all 22 Arab states and the League of Arab States. As the two sides continue to deepen cooperation across a wide range of sectors, observers have highlighted the role culture plays in bringing people together.

Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to China, said that through education, language learning, publishing, artistic collaboration and academic exchanges, the two countries continue to strengthen the people-to-people connections that underpin long-term cooperation.

"The true strength of any enduring partnership extends beyond economics. It is ultimately measured by the connections between people," he said in a signed article published by Global Times.

Ahamed, the general manager at Wisdom House, expressed hope that more Arabs will learn Chinese, and more Chinese people will learn Arabic. "Language is one of the most beautiful bridges between civilizations. Through language, we get to know, understand and respect each other," he said.

In recent years, a "Chinese language boom" has been taking place across the Arab world. From the Middle East to North Africa, Chinese language classrooms are multiplying. More than a dozen Arab countries have established Confucius Institutes, and an increasing number of Arab states, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Oman, have formally incorporated Chinese into their national education systems.

Ahamed said that the demand for local professionals who are fluent in both Arabic and Chinese will keep rising, as numerous Chinese companies have set up operations across Arab states, covering the areas of energy, infrastructure and e-commerce.

"That's why I believe learning Chinese means more job opportunities and broader career choices for young Arabs," he added.

Besides Chinese language education, Zhang Shirong, chairman and founder of Wisdom House, said he has witnessed a clear rise in demand for Chinese books, films and TV series since the first China-Arab States Summit in 2022, as more people across the Arab world seek to learn more about China.

"We have noted that political parties, prominent figures, scholars and students in Arab states are paying close attention to China's governance theories and practices," he said. "Among all the books we have sold, Xi Jinping: The Governance of China draws the greatest attention and ranks first in single-book sales," Zhang said.

Ahamed said the company has set up Chinese language education institutes in 10 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Egypt and Libya.

Calling language the finest bridge for mutual learning among civilizations, he laid out an ambitious target, saying that "our next goal is to roll out our programs to cover all 22 Arab states".

Contact the writers at jihaisheng@chinadaily.com.cn