By CGTN's Wu Lei
Parts of the southern city of Guangzhou have become a melting pot of Chinese and African cultures.
Nigerian businessman David and his wife Liang Xuexiao are among the growing number of Africans and Chinese people who have married in Guangzhou.
David came to the city in 2008. He says the marriage to Xuexiao hasn’t always been easy. At first some members of his wife's family thought foreigners couldn’t take care of Chinese due to their different backgrounds. They also feared foreigners just come to China for some time and eventually leave their wives. Xuexiao also said some of her friends thought it was impossible to marry an African man.
But their love was strong, and eventually, they won over their naysayers.
David and his wife told CGTN that mixed marriage is not always easy. /CGTN Photo
However, mixed marriages between Africans and Chinese still face plenty of bumps.
The president of the Association of Nigerian Community China, Ojukwu Emma, said many Africans in Guangzhou have to renew their visas every few months.
Ojukwu Emma is one of the oldest Nigerians in Guangzhou. /CGTN Photo
If the father is on a short-term visa, the constant threat of separation is particularly difficult to swallow for most families. Emma told CGTN: "Nigerians, we have 400-500 marriages, Nigerian-Chinese families. But a lot have been broken because of visa conditions. That is why you see some of the Nigerian-Chinese wives without husbands."
Emma says mixed marriages have produced over 500 children in Guangzhou. /CGTN Photo
Life is difficult for kids. Emma also has a Chinese wife and sees the tough time their son faces in school. Emma says his son has changed schools several times. Sometimes the boy feels bored at school as he doesn't have friends.
Wang Haige is a social worker at Dengfeng Community service center. /CGTN Photo
Social workers provide counseling and advice for foreigners, mostly Africans. Wang Haige, a social worker at Dengfeng Community service center, told CGTN: "One of the questions these mixed children face is that some of the students at school often laugh at them because of the color of their skin. They look like the color of chocolate. Another problem is that many children can’t go to school because they lack household registration."
Professor Liang Yucheng has been studying Africans in Guangzhou for years. /CGTN Photo
Professor Liang from Sun Yat-Sen University said: "Due to the lack of proper education on race, some people view these children in stereotypical ways. This includes distrust and fear. This is a kind of racial discrimination."
Growing number of children from African-Chinese marriages can be seen in Guangzhou. /CGTN Photo
A growing number of African businessmen are planting roots and trying to fit in. Professional support for these individuals is inadequate. Social workers hope Guangzhou authorities and local communities will do more to welcome these people who want to call China home.
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