Lin Bo, director of the America, Oceania and Africa Department with the China International Travel Service, said so far Chinese tourists to Africa account for less than five percent of China's outbound tourists. "But the figure is soaring every year. Africa is obviously a great potential market for us."

    The number of outbound Chinese tourists to Africa reached 110,000 in 2005, double that of the previous year, according to the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of Public Security Ministry.

    Currently 16 African countries have granted the outbound destinations for Chinese tourists. The Chinese government has promised to implement the program of Chinese citizens' group tour to some African nations and grant more African countries destination status for outbound Chinese tourist groups, according to the Chinese government's first-ever African Policy Paper issued on Jan. 12 this year.

    Meanwhile, China also took active measures to make itself better understood by the African people.

    On Feb. 27, 2006, China Radio International launched its FM station in the Kenyan capital. The station is transmitting 19 hours of programs in English, Kiswahili (the language widely spoken in East Africa) and standard Chinese.

    China Radio International Director Wang Gengnian said the station will broadcast the latest news from China and around the world, and focus on the friendly exchanges between China and Kenya. "I hope our program will enable the majority to have a more comprehensive and objective view of China."

    China's growth has also made Mandarin Chinese an increasingly popular language in Africa. "Africa far from China also witnesses an increasing enthusiasm for Chinese learning," said George Magoha, vice chancellor of the University of Nairobi of Kenya, which launched the first Confucius Institute in Africa.

    The Confucius Institute is a non-profit public institute with a mission of promoting Chinese language and culture and supporting local Chinese teaching. So far China has set up three Confucius Institutes in Africa.

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