Speaking after the 2026 "African Voice" National College Multilingual Dubbing Competition held by the School of African Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, Somalia's Ambassador to China, H.E. Hodan Osman Abdi, said she was encouraged to see so many young Chinese students engaging with African languages, cultures and traditions.

She noted that understanding a language also requires understanding its cultural context, allowing participants to gain a deeper appreciation of African societies while discovering shared values between China and Africa.

The ambassador said such exchanges help strengthen people-to-people ties and give her confidence that the next generation will continue to advance China-Africa cooperation.

Reflecting on the long history of relations between Somalia and China, she pointed to exchanges dating back more than 600 years to the voyages of Zheng He. With both sides valuing peace, harmony and equality, she expressed confidence that the friendship will continue to flourish for the next 100, and even 1,000 years. (Some footage is from the School of African Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University.)