Somali president looks forward to more people-to-people exchanges with China

China

Somali president looks forward to more people-to-people exchanges with China

2025-12-20 17:34 Last Updated At：19:37

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said he is looking forward to more people-to-people and cultural exchanges with China, including sending more students to Chinese universities and increased cooperation at the agricultural sector.

In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired on Friday, Mohamud expressed his appreciation for the scholarships China provides to local students and the opportunities for local government officials to study abroad.

He noted that these scholarships have greatly benefited local students and enabled government officials to learn about China's advanced development models and technologies.

"First of all, our exchange of visitors is increasing in pattern and in level and in numbers as well, as well as China is offering scholarships to Somalis. That scholarship is increasing every year, year after year, started from maybe five students, 10 students to more than 100 students right now going to China. As I'm speaking to you, there is a number of scholarships in process right now, maybe in the coming weeks, a good number of Somali students would be joining Chinese universities in China, studying there," said the Somali president.

He also emphasized that the Somali people have much to learn from the Chinese experience, as Somalia is currently in a development stage that resembles where China began just decades ago.

"The other aspect is the exchange of people. There's a lot of people from the state house all the way to different ministries going to visit China and visiting, not only Beijing and Shanghai, but also remote areas and historically how those remote areas were 50 years ago, 40 years ago and how they are today. That's where we are very much focusing the work culture, the work habits and ethics of the Chinese people, particularly in the aspect of agriculture and technology development whereby Chinese communities are mainly historically peasants and sedentary agricultural communities. And that's where we are right now, where we are starting, so it's going on. And this coming year of 2026, that will increase, the engagement will definitely increase," Mohamud said.

East China county sees arrivals of over 10,000 swans for wintering

As temperatures drop in the north hemisphere, large flocks of swans have migrated from the colder north to Jinxian County of Nanchang City in warmer east China's Jiangxi Province to tide over the winter.

This year, thanks to the improved environment, over 10,000 swans have arrived in the vast stretches of wetlands in the county, according to staff of the local forestry bureau.

These beautiful creatures have attracted many birdwatchers, residents, and visitors eager to capture the scene.

"I have been coming here to photograph birds for 12 consecutive years. Each year, I have different experiences in bird photography. Over recent years, I've felt that the ecological system in Jinxian has improved significantly, and the varieties of migratory birds have also increased. This change is a result of everyone's efforts to protect and love birds. Every time I see a stunning scene, my mood is different," said Fan Zheping, a birdwatcher.

Not far from the site, Nanchang City has built a natural education and science popularization base featuring specimen displays, immersive VR experiences, and 3D video presentations.

"Such an immersive experience is not only particularly novel and interesting, but also deepens our understanding of the importance of protecting migratory bird habitats and safeguarding nature," said Luo Canqi, a local pupil.