A Confucius Institute project by Nantong No.3 Construction Group celebrated its ground-breaking on June 21 in Lusaka, Zambia. This is the first building for education in Africa being done with aid from China.

The overseas company of Nantong No.3 Construction Group won the bid in November 2013 as its fourth foreign aid project, with a contract worth 68.82 million yuan ($11.02 million), consisting of an educational and office building and a teachers dormitory building.

China’s Vice President Li Yuanchao, who was on an official visit to Lusaka, attended the ground-breaking ceremony. He believed that the Confucius Institute at University of Zambia would help promote mutual understanding and interaction between young people in both countries, and set up a new monument for cultural and educational exchanges.

Since the foundation of the Confucius Institute at University of Zambia in July 2010, 18 Chinese language teaching centers have been established across Zambia, with an enrollment of more than 4,000 students. To meet the growing demand for teaching locations, the Chinese government decided to provide free assistance in construction after mutual consultation.

The Confucius Institute also opened pilot teaching centers in 10 Zambian middle schools and set up Chinese teaching degrees to train local teachers. Meanwhile, it cooperated with China-invested enterprises in Zambia to provide job opportunities for its graduates, which helped enhance the China-Africa friendship.