Post date: May 11, 2012 2:11:6 PM
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (REUTERS) - At a school for Mandarin in Zambia's capital Lusaka, middle-age students repeat the syllables that they hope will give them a competitive advantage in the job market.
Most of the students here are already working in companies that have some ties with Chinese investors or plant to in the future.
Chinese investment in Zambia, Africa's leading copper producer topped 2 billion US dollars last year and came with the promise of 15,000 jobs. Its no surprise then that Mandarin is becoming increasingly popular and some elements of Chinese culture are seeping into Zambian everyday life.
"If you just look at how the world economics are moving, you find that they are being dominated by the Chinese, and the way English is, is how the Chinese language will be not too long from now," said Majumo Nkunga, a Banker.
In Zambia, Chinese investors have become major players in the economy, with total investments by the end of 2010 topping 2 billion US dollars, according to data from the Chinese embassy.
Jacky Wang, the school manager says breaking the language barrier is the next step in business and in boosting relations between China and Zambia.
"We are doing this part as the hope to introduce Chinese Language and Chinese culture to Zambia people, and to be the bridge, the communication between Zambia people and Chinese people," said Wang.
There are an estimated 300,000 Chinese people in Zambia today, most of whom are directly linked to Africa's biggest copper producer's new 'Look East' policy.
China's enormous appetite for resources has driven a boom of investments and aid to African countries. In Zambia, Chinese companies are building roads, hospitals, sports arenas and bridges as well as revitalizing copper mines abandoned in the country's central Copperbelt region.
China has even chosen Zambia as the place to set up its first out of five free trade zones in Africa.
Jacky Huang, director of Good Time Steel company says the language barrier has not stopped China from working here but it does make communication a major hindrance to business.
"Our official language of course is english because here in Zambia, of course, we also have some Zambians who can speak very good chinese. This is a very good linkage between Zambia and China staff, because some Chinese staff cannot speak very good english, so we need such guys to help us to manage and to communicate between Zambia staff and Chinese staff," said Huang.
Mandarin is one of the most challenging languages to speak and write.
Benson Mulubwa, a Good Time Steel employee says learning the language can open up Zambians to a whole new world view, saying he has picked up important work values just from communicating freely.
"When you are dealing with Chinese here in Zambia for example they are the majority of investors that we have at the moment, it will be very convenient for you and I mean, you will understand why they work hard like that, why they have developed like that," said Mulubwa.
But anti-Chinese sentiments run deep in Zambia, especially in the mining sector, where the eastern investors are accused by rights groups of flouting labour laws. A Human Rights Watch report last year detailed persistent abuses in Chinese-run mines including poor health and safety conditions.
Labour actions and frequent strikes hit the country after new President Michael Sata came to power and emboldened workers by saying he will fight for better pay and working conditions.
Even when it comes to job opportunities, in some instances China brings in teams of workers and technical experts.
However, private sector development association chairperson, Yusuf Dodia says despite the challenges, the Chinese have brought an alternative to western investment that can benefit Zambia if the business relations are streamlined.
"China is a country that has got the technology, that has got the resources in terms of cash, that has the human resources in terms of being able to do some highly specialised projects and also they offer it at very very concessional rates and what this has meant is that instead of Zambia looking at traditional partners in Europe, in north America, we have seen that the Chinese offer a much better value for money in terms of partnership with Zambia," said Dodia.
Within the last two years, the International Chinese School of Lusaka and the Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia have been pushing a campaign to promote Mandarin studies as well as a cultural exchange program.
"I'm for the idea that these people come to our country, because we are exposed to new things, one of them being their language, their sociality, their technology and the like," said Valentine Mundea, a student at the University of Zambia .
"As much as it is a good thing to have the Chinese people in here, but I personally feel they are exploiting our manpower, our labour as they are brining sub-standard products here in Zambia," Andrew Chingambo, a student at the University of Zambia.
So far, over 2000 Zambians have signed up for Mandarin classes in Lusaka and other parts of the country.