On June 12th, the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Fair opened in Changsha, Hunan Province. This year’s expo features the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) as one of the guest countries, making Grace Boukete and his girlfriend Fausshela Gloire from Congo (Brazzaville) feel especially happy.
Grace Boukete first visited Changsha in 2017 as a contestant in the Chinese Bridge Chinese Language Competition for World University Students. He was immediately captivated by the delicious Hunan cuisine, the picturesque Xiangjiang River, and the historic Yuelu Academy. He fondly remarked, “Hunan people have passion engraved in their genes!”
Due to a shortage of Chinese language teachers in Congo-Brazzaville, Grace Boukete decided to come to China for further studies. In 2019, he enrolled at Hunan Normal University to pursue a Master’s degree in Chinese International Education, with plans to eventually pursue a PhD. He also adopted a Chinese name—Gao Xiang, which means “ascend high” or “rise and fly” in Chinese, symbolizing his aspirations.
Grace Boukete traveled extensively across China’s cities and villages to experience the country firsthand. He visited the former residence of Comrade Mao Zedong in Shaoshan, explored Longping Rice Park to learn about Chinese hybrid rice, and visited various rural areas such as Shibadong Village in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Zhumugang Village in Zhangjiajie City, and Chating Town in Changsha. During these visits, he documented China’s rural revitalization efforts through a “video diary.” In 2021, after visiting the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Red Boat on South Lake, he was deeply moved. He remarked, “Africa needs a role model, and China is our role model.”
That same year, during the second China-Africa Economic and Trade Fair, Grace Boukete volunteered to assist. Wearing a Congolese hairband, he performed at the African Style Pavilion and actively translated for visitors. His enthusiasm caught the attention of Jing Jianhua, the founder of the Sino-African trading enterprise “coffee Z”. The next day, Gao Xiang was invited to the flagship store of coffee Z to learn how to brew coffee by hand. He impressed everyone by carving an African map on the coffee, which quickly went viral on social media.
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In 2023, at the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, Grace Boukete made a career transition into a “Live Stream Presenter”. In a livestreaming room from Gaoqiao Market in Changsha, he held up a bottle of Rwandan chili sauce to highlight the spicy food preferences of Hunan people. Within two hours, the live stream attracted over 23,000 viewers. Fluent in Chinese and full of infectious energy, “Brother Xiang” has become a renowned ambassador for African products. He volunteered to bring and introduce goods like Kenyan black tea, Ethiopian coffee, and other African delicacies to live streaming sales.
In April this year, Grace Boukete joined the Chinese-funded Mainland Group as an intern. Mainland Group is deeply involved in the African market, having established three factories in Côte d’Ivoire, the largest rubber producer in Africa. These facilities have created over 1,600 jobs, with two new factories currently under construction. At present, Grace Boukete is designing a performance appraisal program that integrates Chinese and African cultures for Mainland Group’s local factories in Africa. Zhu Chen, Chairman of Mainland Group, is very optimistic about Grace Boukete’s potential as a cultural ambassador between China and Africa.
Grace Boukete was originally scheduled to be stationed in Côte d’Ivoire for one year. However, due to his participation in and extensive experience with two China-Africa Economic and Trade Expos, he was temporarily assigned to Changsha to host Ivorian foreign guests attending the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Fair. During this event, his role was elevated from that of a volunteer and “Live Stream Presenter” to a “cultural messenger” serving the exhibition in African countries. At the same time, Gao Xiang organized a team of 15 international students from Congo (Brazzaville) to brainstorm ways to promote African products more effectively in China.
After six years in China, Grace Boukete’s life path has quietly evolved. Amid the surge of China-Africa cooperation, he has discovered a new direction for his life. Grace Boukete said: “In the future, whether I return to my country to become a teacher, a diplomat, or stay in China, I am willing to be a bridge — a bridge to promote friendly exchanges between China and Africa.”
(Reported by Meng Jiaoyan, omnimedia journalist from Hunan Daily)
