The conviction comes from Wildiley Barroca, youth leader in São Tomé and Príncipe. She was Vice-President of the Pan-African Youth Union, the African Union's advisory body on youth matters.

Barroca participated in the celebration of the international day of the Chinese language, (20 April), in the amphitheater of the University of São Tomé and Príncipe. She intervened in the ceremony to share experiences with young São Tomé students about China, its language and its culture.

After 4 months of training in China, more specifically at Peking University, Wildiley Barroca spoke about the importance of the Chinese language for the youth of São Tomé and Príncipe.

«China is a country of the future, a country of technologies, but above all a country of many opportunities. The People's Republic of China aims to make the country a leader in 4th Industrial Revolution technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things and the 5G telecommunications standard. The Chinese experience has important lessons for São Tomé and Príncipe and the world, and we, the youth, must take advantage of them, and speaking the Chinese language opens up a world of opportunities…” highlighted Wildiley Barroca.

According to the youth leader, in addition to being one of the most important economic powers in the world, China is the country with the highest population growth.

“For these and other reasons, Mandarin is the language of the future: not only does it have the largest number of speakers in the world, but it will also be an essential language for business and the economy,” he added.

The world is changing, and the young man who maintains a leadership position among national youth, strives to awaken young people to the opportunities of the present and the gains projected for the future.

For Barroca, the world is already waking up to the future of the world, which is increasingly pointed towards the EAST. São Toméans should not be left out.

«Today, great businesspeople like Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, know China's economic potential and, therefore, study Mandarin! And everything indicates, it is my deep conviction, Chinese will replace English…», pointed out Wildiley Barroca.

The Chinese language appears to be one of the essential tools for communication in the present and future. In the amphitheater of the University of São Tomé and Príncipe, it was with great attention that the youth absorbed the experience shared by Wildiley Barroca.

«Mandarin is a very complex language to learn. However, with commitment and daily practice, it is possible to master it. Always practice, even on your own, with textbooks, Mandarin-speaking friends or otherwise, the best option of all, signing up at the Confucius Institute to attend Mandarin classes,” he concluded.

Youth from São Tomé and Príncipe, encouraged to raise awareness about the direction that the world is defining for its future, with China and its language, on a continuous rise.

Abel Veiga