A shared heritage enhanced by language, culture links

MUSCAT, OCT 31
Studying the Chinese language is not only an academic choice but also a genuine investment and a competitive advantage for Omanis specialising in the Chinese language which is why the number of students and learners of Chinese is increasing day by day.
Ishaq bin Yaqoub al Azri, a lecturer in Chinese language at College of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), said: “The Chinese language has made its presence felt in various fields over the past decade becoming one of the most important international languages. This is due to China’s status as the world’s second-largest economy, with many economic experts expecting it to emerge as the world’s leading economy in the coming years. Therefore, learning Chinese is not merely about acquiring a new language skill, but also a means of understanding Chinese culture and society. The Sultanate of Oman and China have maintained excellent relations in several aspects including trade and economic exchange with the volume of trade exchange crossing RO 14 billion in addition to joint investments and projects between the two countries.
Wang Mo Yi, a Chinese journalist who is fluent in Arabic, said: “I believe our role as Arabic-speaking Chinese journalists is something more than reporting news and information. It also involves building a bridge of communication and understanding between the Chinese and Omani peoples.”
She added that His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s visit to Beijing attracts great attention from Chinese media, which highlighted its importance in the development of Omani-Chinese relations. This is His Majesty’s first visit to China since assuming power, and the first visit by an Omani Sultan to China since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 48 years ago.
She underscored the deep friendship between the Sultanate of Oman and China, adding that in recent years, under the leadership of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, mutual political trust between the two countries has been further strengthened, and economic and trade cooperation has steadily progressed.
She pointed out that there are several promising sectors that could witness significant development in cooperation between the Sultanate of Oman and China including the renewable energy sector (solar energy and green hydrogen). China boasts advanced expertise and technology and can contribute to the transition to clean energy in the Sultanate of Oman. Other areas of potential cooperation include technology and innovation, particularly artificial intelligence, communications, and advanced industries in addition to the exchange of expertise and training of Omani cadres. Logistics and industrial investment sectors also offer significant opportunities. The Sultanate of Oman’s strategic location, ports, and economic zones, such as Duqm, Sohar, and Salalah, provide important opportunities for Chinese companies to invest in and develop industrial projects and logistics centres.
She stressed that the shared maritime history between the Sultanate of Oman and China constitutes a unique opportunity to enhance tourism and cultural exchange between the two peoples. This is not just a history of trade and navigation, but also a history of human and cultural communication, when we talk about this history, we must remember the famous Chinese explorer Zheng He, who is known to many Chinese people, and whose fleets visited the Sultanate of Oman several times more than 600 years ago. At present, visitors to the city of Salalah can see the Zheng He memorial, which was opened in 2023, as a symbol of the historical friendship between the two countries. It is noteworthy that Oman revived this legacy through the ship Sohar, which sailed in 1980 from the port of Sohar to the Chinese city of Guangzhou, on a journey that revived the historical navigation route of the Omani sailor Abu Ubaidah. I believe that these stories can be built upon to develop joint tourist and cultural routes that link historical sites in the Sultanate of Oman, such as Salalah, Sur and its maritime museums, with Chinese cities that have been historically linked to maritime trade.