On 27 March 2026, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding attended and addressed the 2026 Chinese Character Hero Competition organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe (CIUZ). The event，as part of the activities marking International Chinese Language Day, was attended by nearly 300 people, including Professor Fainos Mangena, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Zimbabwe, as well as teachers and students from CIUZ.

In his remarks, Ambassador Zhou stated that Chinese characters are among the most cherished treasures of Chinese civilization. He noted that ancient Chinese porcelain unearthed from the Great Zimbabwe ruins, inscribed with distinct Chinese characters, serves as a vivid example of and a witness to the long-standing friendship between the Chinese and Zimbabwean peoples. The competition provides a platform for deepening China-Zimbabwe language and cultural exchanges and enhancing people-to-people ties between the two nations. Highlighting that 2026 has been officially designated as the Year of China-Africa People-to-people Exchanges, the Ambassador expressed his hope that Zimbabwean Chinese language learners will take the Chinese language as a bridge, act as inheritors and promoters of China-Zimbabwe friendship, and strive to make greater contributions to building an all-weather China-Zimbabwe community with a shared future.

Prof. Mangena pointed out that learning Chinese helps young Zimbabweans develop into internationally competitive talents, which aligns with the country’s Heritage-Based Education 5.0 strategy. He voiced hope that more Zimbabwean youth will master the Chinese language and contribute to both Zimbabwe’s development and win-win cooperation between Zimbabwe and China.