Kenyan university students begin China summer camp experience

Kenyan university student Samuel Mwangi is anticipating learning fruitful knowledge that will help shape his future during his two-week summer camp experience to China.

"I hope this trip to China can sow the seed for me to become the Kenyan ambassador to China" someday, the fourth year undergraduate student at the Confucius Institute at Moi University said at the send-off ceremony held Saturday in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

Mwangi, who is majoring in communication and public relations, said that during the two-week trip, he wants to learn how China grew to be the world's second largest economy within 40 years.

He believes Kenya can learn from China's successful economic growth since Kenya is facing great challenges in fulfilling its industrialization, just as China did before adopting the reform and opening up policy.

His view was echoed by Han Jun, chairman of the East Africa Chinese Chamber of Commerce. He told the students that 40 years ago China's economic situation was not better than that of Kenya's. After a series of trial and experiments and even failure, China found its own way of rapid development. For the benefit of Kenya, the students should learn not only the Chinese language but also the Chinese culture, wisdom and ways of thinking, Han said.