Nature published on 6 June 2024 an article titled "The Road to Soft Power Starts on Campus" by Rachel Nuwer, a freelance writer based in New York City.
In 2006, just 2 percent of China's international students came from Africa; by 2018, that percentage had risen to nearly 17 percent. In 2018, the last year statistics are available, more that 80,000 Africans were enrolled in higher education in China. Only France attracted more African students that year.
COVID-19 resulted in a reduction of African students in China due to the country's strict lockdown policies. China has recently revived the scholarship program for Africans. The article suggests that African students have had mixed experiences during their time in China.
