Over 5,000 Cabo Verdeans have begun learning Mandarin Chinese since the branch of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cabo Verde began teaching the language in January 2016, Lusa reports.

One Cabo Verdean learner, 21-year-old Luana Pires, thinks knowing Chinese may improve her career prospects, according to a report carried by the Portuguese news agency last Friday.

The report quotes another learner, 20-year-old Janice Lopes, as saying she dreams of studying medicine in China.

Classes in Chinese are also given at 15 secondary schools on the Cabo Verdean islands of Santiago and São Vicente, the report says.

The University of Cabo Verde has given 15 students places in its programme leading to a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language, literature and culture, which it began teaching last November, Lusa says.