MoU signed on joint launching of Chinese Language Program in Pakistani universities

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 24 (Gwadar Pro) - Pakistani and Chinese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on joint launching of the Chinese Language Program in Pakistani Universities.

The Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS) based in Islamabad signed the MoU on the Chinese Language Program with Viivbook, Tianjin Hantong Educational Technology Co., Ltd, a leading company offering scholarships and Chinese language institutions.

The MoU will be offering free Chinese training courses, research and development, and promoting cultural cooperation, said a statement issued after the signing ceremony.

This initiative will be a pilot project that begins from Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University (SBBWU), Peshawar. This will be expanded to all universities across Pakistan.

The MoU contributes to China-Pakistan friendship and cultural exchange to let more and more Pakistani students conveniently and high-efficiently learn Chinese with a comparatively reasonable price and nurture more international talents for Pakistan. Both parties friendly cooperated to promote this program.

Farhat Asif, Founder President, Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS), commenced the meeting with her address. She emphasized the close cooperation of China and Pakistan. She highlighted that the cooperation has been fruitful for both sides. After that, the participants introduced themselves.

Dr. Rafida Nawaz, Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) Multan highlighted the role of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in strengthening China-Pakistan cooperation. She further added that this initiative will enhance the CPEC cooperation.

Henna Karamat, Director of the Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), represented Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University (SBBWU), Peshawar. Director ORIC highlighted the importance of the Chinese language in Pakistan due to CPEC. She also highlighted the closer cooperation of SBBWU with China by mentioning the students' exchange program of its university with China. 30 students went to China in a student exchange program, she added. They came back with excelling Chinese language and have started teaching Chinese language in the university.

Libei Zhang, Manager Viivbook, Tianjin Hantong Educational Technology Co., Ltd expressed gratitude to IPDS for playing an active role in expanding China-Pakistan relations by conducting webinars. She also announced that a Chinese Language Competition will be held every year and the winners will get cash prizes.

Libei also stated that Beijing Normal University will enhance its cultural exchanges with Pakistani universities to strengthen the cooperation between the two sides. The students will become ‘ambassadors’ after completing their exchange programs and will help uphold the collaboration between the two ironclad friends.

Xiao, Director of Education, Beijing Normal University stated that China and Pakistan are durable friends. No one can break their ironclad friendship. He will continue to make efforts to strengthen the cooperation of Beijing Normal University with the Pakistani Universities such as Bahauddin Zakariya University and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University.

Farhat Asif, President of IPDS made concluding remarks in which she emphasized the role of the Centre of BRI and China studies in strengthening relations and building trust between the two sides. Students, scholars, and even any interested individual can learn the Chinese language through this project.

In the end, MoU on the Chinese Language Program was signed by Libei Zhang, the Manager of Viivbook, and Asif Noor, Founder Director, Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS). The two sides aimed to work together further to expand and strengthen the cooperation. They also agreed that it was just the beginning of the long journey of cooperation between the two sides.