The Compulsory Study of Mandarin by African Students at Chinese Universities: A Soft Power Tool?

Abstract

The 2019/2021 Afrobarometer survey data show that only two percent of Africans view Mandarin as a desirable international language for young people to learn. This indicates that Beijing’s attempts to enhance its cultural soft power in Africa through language promotion have had limited success. This project aims to further explore this finding by examining the perspectives of the compulsory study of Mandarin among African student migrants who have studied or are currently studying in China. We employed a descriptive survey design with quantitative data collected through questionnaires from a sample of 315 former and present African students in China. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected, including frequencies, percentages, standard deviations, and means. Contrary to the Afrobarometer survey results, African students in China greatly value learning Mandarin. The majority believe that proficiency in Mandarin makes them valuable members of society. They also desire Mandarin to be taught more widely in their home countries and view China as an attractive destination due to their Mandarin language skills. These results suggest that while the general African public may not be attracted to Mandarin, African migrant students with direct experience in China have a more positive perception of the language and its benefits. This highlights the need for future studies on Chinese soft power in Africa, as the perspectives of specific subgroups may differ from broader public opinion.