On stage, Eileen and her companions were dressed in long dresses, slowly stretching their arms to the beat of the drum. Fingertips lifted, shoulders lightly raised, imitating a peacock playing by the stream... The graceful, light, and charming dance moves won applause from the audience on site. Recently, the Confucius Institute of the Eritrean Institute of Higher Education and Research held a Chinese dance competition. 41 Eritrean contestants performed Mongolian dance, Dai dance, Miao dance, Xinjiang dance, etc. to the audience, leading them to appreciate the unique charm of Chinese dance art. Eileen, 22 years old this year, is a student at the Faculty of Literature at Asmara University in Eritrea. She has been studying at the Confucius Institute for 4 years and has specifically chosen Dai dance to participate in this competition. Dai dance reminds people of the beauty and elegance of peacocks, "said Eileen. Studying Chinese, calligraphy, dance and other courses has opened up a window for her to understand Chinese culture." I am very interested in information related to China and have always dreamed of visiting China. "The dance competition's instructor, Rahel, is a local teacher who teaches at the Confucius Institute. In 2016, Lahr went to Guizhou University of Finance and Economics to participate in cultural exchange activities, and thus became acquainted with Chinese ethnic dance. My classmates love Chinese culture and have grown and progressed at an astonishing pace, "she sighed. Lahr often takes his students on stage to perform and convey the beauty of Chinese dance to more Eritrean audiences. Huang Mingfei, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute, stated that the contestants not only demonstrated their enthusiasm and achievements in learning Chinese culture through dance, but also built a bridge of emotional resonance between the Chinese and Eritrean people with their dynamic dance movements. "This year is the 'China Africa Cultural Exchange Year', and we will hold rich cultural activities to further promote mutual learning between Chinese and Eritrean civilizations and promote people to people exchanges between the two countries." The Confucius Institute, jointly organized by Guizhou University of Finance and Economics and the Eritrean Institute of Higher Education and Research in 2013, offers Chinese language courses and cultural courses such as Chinese calligraphy, songs, dance, and Tai Chi. Since its establishment, the Confucius Institute has registered over 20000 students and has become the largest language teaching institution in the local area. Since November 2019, the Confucius Institute has collaborated with the largest hotel in the area to promote the integration of Chinese language and vocational skills education, training approximately 100 people and cultivating a group of professional talents proficient in Chinese for the local community. In June 2025, the new teaching building of the Confucius Institute, constructed by Chinese enterprises, was officially completed and put into use. The new building can accommodate about 600 students at the same time, with multiple classrooms, activity rooms, and rest areas. It has a multifunctional auditorium that can accommodate more than 150 people, equipped with advanced audio-visual and lighting equipment, suitable for hosting various performances and activities. Zemenfes Zigo, Director of the Department of Higher Education and International Relations at the Eritrean Institute of Higher Education and Research, stated that Confucius Institutes are committed to promoting cultural exchanges between Eritrea and China. "On the basis of good Chinese language teaching, Confucius Institutes are gradually becoming a bridge for equal treatment and mutual learning between the peoples of Eritrea and China, and continue to contribute to deepening friendly cooperation between the two countries