The closing ceremony of the 5th Friendly Cultural Exchange Program is held online while Malaysia has an offline sub-venue on Nov 26. [Photo/WeChat account: XIAMENFAO]
The online closing ceremony of the 5th Friendly Cultural Exchange Program was held on Nov 26.
Wang Jianhua, vice-president of Huaqiao University, Zeng Jinji, deputy director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Xiamen Municipal People's Government, and Andrew Tan, general chairman of the Malaysian Professional Skill Development Education Association, attended the event and delivered speeches.
Several student representatives also shared their experiences and insights from participating in this program.
Wang spoke about the unique advantages that Huaqiao University has in Chinese language teaching, as well as its organization and participation in the Friendly Cultural Exchange Program.
He stated that Huaqiao University will strengthen and refine the course design based on the feedback from participants. He also hopes that participants will have the opportunity to learn in China.
Zeng said that the Friendly Cultural Exchange Program has been held for three consecutive years, and that the five sessions of the project have attracted over 1,000 participants from 20 countries. Professors from world-renowned universities have been invited to teach and help participants better understand Xiamen and China in this latest edition of the program.
Tan noted that youth exchanges between China and Malaysia have become increasingly frequent and have played an active role in bolstering China-Malaysia ties over the past decade since the introduction of the Belt and Road Initiative.
He added that the Malaysian Professional Skill Development Education Association is looking to further strengthen cooperation with Huaqiao University.
During the program, topics regarding urban planning, historical architecture, modern landmarks in Xiamen, Chinese narration and strategies for Chinese brands to go global were discussed in English.
This latest session comprised eight courses and attracted 246 participants from Germany, the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, and Indonesia.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
