From December 11th to 13th,the Twelfth Confucius Conference was held in Xi’an city, with its theme being “Deepening Cooperation, Developing through Innovation, Working Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind”. Liu Yandong, vice premier of the State Council and President of the Council of the Confucius Institute Headquarters, attended the opening ceremony and presented awards to globally advanced Confucius Institutes. The opening ceremony was presided over by Chen Baosheng, Minister of Education and Vice President of the Council of the Confucius Institute Headquarters. Jiang Hongxin, president of HNU, was invited to the conference.
Liu Yandong pointed out that in the last five years,Confucius Institutes,have remained committed to benefiting all through joint construction with mutualefforts from Chinese and foreign sides, thus making positive contributions to the friendship between China and other countries, as well as the exchanges andmutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. She emphasized that the Confucius Institute, which served as a bond for language exchanges and a platform for mutual learning, was the bridge for deeper friendships and the propeller of win-win cooperation.
It was necessary to optimize the layout of the institute, improve the standard of institute operation, deepen the reform of teachers, teaching materials and teaching methods, and strengthen the training of local teachers to meet the diversified and indigenized demands of different countries. It is also necessary to improve institutional mechanisms, make full use of the strength of China and foreign countries and build people-to-people and cultural exchanges brands featuring inclusiveness, sharing, and harmonious coexistence,so as to make new contributions to the building of a community of shared future for mankind.
Before the conference, Liu Yandong attended the forum on work of Confucius Institutes, Jiang Hongxin included. Before the forum, Jiang Hongxin, as one ofthe representatives of presidents from 25 universities in China, attended another forum aimed to seek opinions on the development and reform of Confucius Institutes, and made a statement as the first president representative. He made a brief introduction on the school-running characteristics and achievements of the three Confucius Institutes run by HNU, and aired his own opinions on the reform and development of Confucius Institutes, which was highly praised by other presidents.
During the period of the conference, the third council meeting of the Confucius Institute at Southern Utah University (CISUU) was held in Xi’an,Shanxi province. Bradley J. Cook, Vice President and Provost of SUU and amember of the CI council, and Jiang Hongxin, President of HNU, attended the meeting that was chaired by Tang Jianwen, Director of International Exchange and Cooperation at HNU.
Jiang Hongxin said HNU have always maintained cordial relations With the CISUU since its establishment cooperatively delivering impressive results at work. And he believed that the CISUU will become adistinctive and influential Confucius Institute globally through working together and forging ahead with both sides.
Bradley J. Cook expressed his gratitude to HNU for its continuous support for the Confucius Institute in all aspects. He stated that SUU would fully cooperate to deal with the difficulties in the management of the Confucius Institute.
Dr. Jacob Ng, American executive director of the CISUU, gave a report on the work of the CISUU in 2017. The council approved the budget of Confucius Institute for 2018 after deliberation.
After the meeting, Jiang Hongxin also met with Macphee, President of Middle Tennessee State University and Professor Zheng Guanping, American Director of the Confucius Institute there, Kim Do Jong, President of Wonkwang University in Korea, and Zainullin, Russian Director of the Confucius Institute at Kazan Federal University.
Participants of the above events include those responsible for the relevant departments in HNU.
Translators: 蔡翥鹏 陈玲
Proofreader: 陈子健
