Wafi Albalawi, cultural counselor of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Beijing, led a delegation to Beijing International Studies University (BISU) on Oct 28, where he was received by Zheng Chengjun, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC BISU Committee and vice-president of the university.

Zheng Chengjun (right) and Wafi Albalawi meet at BISU.

Zheng extended a warm welcome to the delegation and briefed them on BISU's distinctive features, discipline development, and international exchanges, reviewing its cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

Noting that BISU has taught Chinese as a foreign language for nearly 50 years and has been rated excellent in Beijing's assessment of undergraduate education for international students, he said its strengths lie not only in languages and tourism but also in economics, business, law, country and region studies, and artificial intelligence and language sciences.

Zheng said BISU attaches great importance to China-Saudi educational cooperation, noting that the joint master's program for Saudi students is progressing smoothly with good results in Chinese-language teaching and talent cultivation. He expressed the hope that the visit would help deepen practical cooperation and bring more Saudi students and faculty to BISU.

Albalawi thanked BISU for its warm reception and introduced the work of the embassy's cultural office and the overall state of Saudi-China educational cooperation.

He said Saudi Arabia has always placed educational exchange among the priorities of Saudi-China cooperation, with a number of quality programs launched in recent years. He spoke highly of BISU's strengths and its cooperation with Saudi Arabia, saying the master's program has built a bridge between the two sides, and expressed the hope that the two sides would establish a regular communication mechanism and expand cooperation in degree programs, short-term training, and faculty and student exchanges to cultivate talent versed in both cultures.

Following the meeting, the delegation met Saudi students enrolled in the program at BISU to learn about their study and campus life and listen to their views, which will serve as a basis for improving talent cultivation and cooperation.