# African students in China  
International students are usually not classified as immigrants, yet their link with the diaspora is obvious. Africa-China business began with African students who remained in China. African students came to China in the 1960s and stayed until 1966, when the universities closed during the Cultural Revolution. China resumed cooperation with Africa in 1972. Trainees in railway technology for the Tanzania-Zambia railway project TAZARA came first, followed by formal students from Africa in 1973. With more Africans present, racial tension broke out in the late 1980s between African and Chinese students (Sautman, 1994, pp. 413-437). Cultural difference seems to have been a major cause, since the trigger was usually close contact between male Africans and young Chinese women.  
With the creation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), more African students enjoyed scholarships. Self-funded Africans overtook the Chinese scholarship students for the first time in 2005. In such a new situation, young Africans face challenges and have experienced culture shock, more serious for undergraduates than graduates, and for females than males (Disima, 2004). Cultural adaptation thus becomes important, since it can occur in daily life, in the learning process and through social contact, and brings better relations with the host community (Hashim et al., 2003, pp. 795-799). Cultural adaptation is an active response to new conditions, a process of mutual learning.  
Why do more Africans come to China for further study? Young Africans want to see the real China after the Olympic Games held there. They want to know more about China's rapid growth, its experience of development with modern technologies and why China can be Africa's largest trading partner. African governments also offer more scholarships for students to study in China. China's readiness for educational cooperation has also promoted the trend. The friendship of Chinese people certainly encourages young Africans. Asked if she found the Chinese to be racist, a Ghanaian girl replied,