In Love with Africa

By staff reporter LU RUCAI

In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping recounted a story about a Chinese couple’s fondness for Tanzania in East Africa: “There was once a Chinese couple who, fascinated by images of Africa they had seen on the television, chose to go to Tanzania for their honeymoon. They were enchanted by local customs and extraordinary scenery of the wild Serengeti Plains and fell in love with the country. Back home, the young couple posted a record of their journeys on a blog, which received tens of thousands of hits and hundreds of comments. They said, ‘We have fallen in love with Africa and our hearts shall never leave this wonderland.”

This was Li Ling’s story. “I have calmed down now,” said Li, “but the moment I heard that President Xi Jinping had told the world our story, I was so thrilled. It has made our experience even more memorable. And it also helped me to focus on my dream of writing a book, something I can look back on proudly when I’m old.”

Li dances with the Hammer Tribe in the lower Omo Valley in Ethiopia.

On March 2, 2013, Li and over a dozen other Weibo (Chinese Twitter) users were invited to attend the anniversary celebrations of “China-Africa,” a microblogging site of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Weibo users joined together to share their tales of Africa and their opinions on the relationship between China and Africa. Li shared the story of her remarkable Tanzanian honeymoon in lively detail.

Li’s story attracted the attention of Director Lu Shaye of the department, who explained the reasons why it stood out from the others: “Li Ling’s story reflects the natural intimacy between the people of China and Africa. When President Xi recounted it at the Nyerere International Conference Center of Tanzania, warm applause resonated from the African audience.”

Exploring Africa

Li and her husband are experienced backpackers and have traveled to many places in China. Choosing where to go on their honeymoon in October 2009 was consequently a tough decision. One night, the newlyweds were watching a BBC documentary about the Serengeti Plains. “We had heard that a huge proportion of animal documentaries were filmed in Africa, and, specifically, on the Serengeti Plains,” Li said. “We were intrigued and so, we decided to go to Tanzania for our honeymoon.”

“Poverty, warfare, illness and danger are what most peopel associate with Africa. But in fact, the natural scenery of Africa was far more significant and breathtaking than I could have imagined,” Li said. Besides the amazing scenery, the respectful attitude to nature from the local people actually impressed Li the most. “The people’s awareness of ecological conservation was more intense than I thought. From the local government to the Maasai people, everyone is involved in an all-out effort to protect the environment. And they do so fondly with respect for nature that comes from the bottom of their hearts.”