The Opening Ceremony of Confucius Institute was Held in Universiti Malaysia Pahang
On October 14, the unveiling ceremony of the fourth Confucius Institute of HBU was held in Pekan campus of Universiti Malaysia Pahang. This is the third Confucius institute that inaugurated in Malaysia and the first on the east coast of Malaysia. More than 300 people attended the ceremony, including relevant leaders of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia, Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, the Chinese-funded institutions in Malaysia, the Chinese associations in Malaysia, the Chinese dean of Confucius institute of Malaysia university and Confucius institute at Segi university, deans of schools of Universiti Malaysia Pahang, the deans of Confucius institute of Universiti Malaysia Pahang both in the two parties, head of international cooperation department and the teachers and students in the two universities.
In the ceremony, the director Feng Jun of Cultural Office of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia read out a congratulatory letter from Ma Jianfei, the deputy director-general of the Confucius institute headquarters. The letter noted that the friendship between the two countries is profound. In recent years, China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership has developed in a healthy and stable manner, and pragmatic cooperation in various fields has continued to expand. Ma Jianfei hoped that the two universities will give full play to their respective advantages in cooperating sincerely and working together to lay a solid foundation for Chinese teaching, carrying out various cultural activities, and striving to build the Confucius institute into a bridge for education and cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, which will make positive contributions to enhancing the understanding and friendship between the two people.
The chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Wan Azhar, delivered a welcome address of extending a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests who attended the opening ceremony and expressing his sincere appreciation to the people who supported the construction of Confucius institute. It is hoped that through the Confucius institute, the cooperation and exchanges between the two universities will be further expanded, and new achievements will be continuously made in Chinese education, talent training and scientific research.
Shen Shigang, the vice President of Hebei University, looked back the achievements of exchanges and cooperation between Hebei University and Universiti Malaysia Pahang in the past decade in his speech. He said that Hebei University will continue to support the construction and development of the Confucius institute at Universiti Malaysia Pahang, providing more solid protection for Chinese teachers and volunteers, student exchange activities and so on.
Feng Jun, the director of Cultural Office of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia, said in his speech that the Confucius institute has made positive contributions to enhancing the friendship between China and other countries and promoting the exchanges of knowledge between Chinese and foreign civilizations. Malaysia is an important country along the “Belt and Road”. As the third Confucius institute in Malaysia, the Confucius institute at Universiti Malaysia Pahang is a cultural gift to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It is sincerely hoped that the Confucius institute will play its important role in promoting the friendship and cultural and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Norma, the Secretary-general of Education Planning and Strategy of the Ministry of Education of Malaysia, said in her speech that Universiti Malaysia Pahang is a famous university focused on science and technology and pays attention to the cultivation of humanities. In 2011, the Chinese Cultural Center was established, which has trained a large number of high-level talents who are proficient in Chinese for the Malaysian government and enterprises. She believed that the establishment of the Confucius institute at Universiti Malaysia Pahang can further satisfy the desire of the people on the East Coast to learn Chinese. It is of great significance for deepening cultural exchanges and expanding all-round cooperation with China, which is the event deserved to celebrate.
After that, the secretary-general Norma, director Feng Jun, vice President Shen Shigang and President Wan Azhar jointly unveiled and cut the ribbon for the Confucius institute and visited the office and teaching area of that.
At the opening ceremony, the teachers and students of art troupe in our school performed Chinese folk music, calligraphy, martial arts, folk songs and folk dances. The atmosphere was warm and friendly with bursts of applause broke out from time to time. Participants wished that the Confucius institute at Universiti Malaysia Pahang will be better and better, and expected to have a splendid future for Malaysia-China friendship.
In order to celebrate the ceremony, the “Malaysia-Chinese culture and art festival” was held by our school and Universiti Malaysia Pahang on October 10-14, five performances and cross-cultural lectures on Chinese and Arabic calligraphy were held at the Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, the Gambang campus of Universiti Malaysia Pahang, National Chinese middle school in Kuantan and the Pekan campus of Universiti Malaysia Pahang, which were warmly welcomed by the teachers and students of Malaysia.
This unveiling ceremony was reported by Chinese press of Malaysia Sin Chew Daily and Utusan Borneo, Malay media of Berita Harian, English media of New Straits Times and Bernama.
