MINSK, 22 November (BelTA) - The study of language and culture is important for better understanding and closer cooperation between the peoples of Belarus and China, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Belarus Xie Xiaoyong told media on the sidelines of the Belarusian-Chinese event at the Lyceum of Belarusian State University.
On 22 November, the Lyceum hosted a Chinese Ambassador's award ceremony to honor the best students of schools, universities and the Republican Confucius Institute of Sinology (RCIS) at Belarusian State University.
Ambassador Xie Xiaoyong said that this award was established in 2016 with an aim to encourage Belarusian students to study the Chinese language and culture.
"The decision to establish the award was due to the rapid development of Chinese-Belarusian relations. Over the 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, bilateral relations have been developing steadily, and over the past ten years have entered the most favorable period. Political trust and strategic cooperation are growing deeper, and the traditional friendship between the peoples is growing stronger. Business cooperation in various areas has been rapid and fruitful,” the head of the Chinese diplomatic mission said.
In his words, such a favorable background for the development of relations requires more Belarusian specialists who know the Chinese language, understand the Chinese culture, promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, and hand over the baton of friendship to the next generation.
During the event the ambassador also noted that thanks to China's centuries-old history, amazing culture, rapid development and the tremendous opportunities it offers the world, especially its concept of openness and mutual benefit, more and more people around the world want to study and cooperate with China. More than 180 countries and regions teach Chinese, and 76 countries have incorporated Chinese into their national curricula. Outside China, more than 25 million people learn Chinese, and the total number of people learning and using Chinese is approaching 200 million.
