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Over 40 universities in China teach Arabic
RIYADH: ABDUL HANNAN TAGO ARAB NEWS STAFF
Published — Sunday 23 February 2014
Last update 22 February 2014 11:51 pm
As many as 50,000 Chinese and foreign students, study Arabic and Islamic culture at various universities and educational institutions in Beijing, asserts Zhang Hong, professor at Beijing Foreign Studies (BFU).
Zhang was speaking to Arab News on Friday at a reception hosted by the Chinese Ambassador to Riyadh Li Chengwen in honor of Arabist Chinese academics who are visiting the capital to attend the ongoing Janadriyah festival.
Arabic language is taught at more than 40 universities in China, the professor added.
Among these universities are the University of International Business and Economics and Beijing Foreign Studies (BFU). The latter produces most of the Chinese diplomats and ambassadors posted in the country's missions in Arab countries.
Prominent Saudi academics and media men including Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for the Arabic Language, attended the event.
“BFU, which was established under the Chinese Foreign Affair program was the cradle of Chinese diplomacy,” he said, adding that in the eighties it came under the Chinese Ministry of Education.
He said BFU specializes in producing Chinese professionals well versed in foreign languages and experts in the science of languages.
“At our university, 60 major international languages are being taught, including Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish. These languages are recognized as business languages at the United Nations and other international organizations,” he said.BFU has produced 400 Chinese ambassadors and 700 consultants who work in Chinese embassies around the world in political, economic and other domains. “The current Chinese ambassador to Riyadh is one of BFU’s graduates,” Zhang added.
He said that 200 Chinese students have completed the Arabic language course at BFU, of which more than 30 have been appointed ambassadors to Arab countries. Currently there are more than 10 Arabist Chinese ambassadors posted in Arab countries, including the Chinese Ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, Sudan, Iraq and even Turkey.
“The Chinese government and the people of China have displayed a keen interest in learning the Arabic language because it represents a strong bridge that connects the two worlds,” the professor said, adding: “Saudi Arabia has an equal interest to teach Arabic, and disseminate Arabic and Islamic civilization to China.”
He said cultural ties between the two countries are growing, especially with the presence of more than 3,000 Saudi students in China.
Meanwhile, Li, the Chinese ambassador, stressed that the participation of Arabist Chinese in the national heritage festival reflects the Chinese government’s keen interest in boosting relations between the two countries.
“We have chosen to strengthen existing bonds between our two countries through cultural exchanges,” the ambassador said.
Over 40 universities in China teach Arabic | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.
Another proof of Chinese sophistication and globalized outlook.
@Chinese-Dragon @ChineseTiger1986 @Wholegrain @Hu Songshan
I am still waiting for us to adopt Chinese as the second foreign language after English. Imagine the many benefits the GCC could get from this? Arabic as our first language one of the 5 most spoken languages and a major world language, English (most spoken) and Chinese (second most spoken). It would give us so many benefits and further boost trade. The strategic location of the ME as the major crossroad of the world would also make such an idea more logical than had we been located elsewhere.
I would like to see such steps. I would also like to see my children or grand-children being able to speak 3 world languages such as Arabic, English and Chinese in the even more future globalized world. Hopefully by then GCC will be a major hub of trade, financial growth and positive news. As it mostly is today but still a lot can get better and change.
China is a model country on many ways and I hope to see us even slightly emulate China on such issues. No excuse for us not to adopt Chinese as our second foreign language. Sooner rather than later. I urge the citizens of the GCC to spread this word and the authorities to take notice.
The fact that Han Chinese and Arabs are the two biggest ethnic groups in the world should also automatically mean that we should work closely together.
Published — Sunday 23 February 2014
Last update 22 February 2014 11:51 pm
As many as 50,000 Chinese and foreign students, study Arabic and Islamic culture at various universities and educational institutions in Beijing, asserts Zhang Hong, professor at Beijing Foreign Studies (BFU).
Zhang was speaking to Arab News on Friday at a reception hosted by the Chinese Ambassador to Riyadh Li Chengwen in honor of Arabist Chinese academics who are visiting the capital to attend the ongoing Janadriyah festival.
Arabic language is taught at more than 40 universities in China, the professor added.
Among these universities are the University of International Business and Economics and Beijing Foreign Studies (BFU). The latter produces most of the Chinese diplomats and ambassadors posted in the country's missions in Arab countries.
Prominent Saudi academics and media men including Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for the Arabic Language, attended the event.
“BFU, which was established under the Chinese Foreign Affair program was the cradle of Chinese diplomacy,” he said, adding that in the eighties it came under the Chinese Ministry of Education.
He said BFU specializes in producing Chinese professionals well versed in foreign languages and experts in the science of languages.
“At our university, 60 major international languages are being taught, including Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish. These languages are recognized as business languages at the United Nations and other international organizations,” he said.BFU has produced 400 Chinese ambassadors and 700 consultants who work in Chinese embassies around the world in political, economic and other domains. “The current Chinese ambassador to Riyadh is one of BFU’s graduates,” Zhang added.
He said that 200 Chinese students have completed the Arabic language course at BFU, of which more than 30 have been appointed ambassadors to Arab countries. Currently there are more than 10 Arabist Chinese ambassadors posted in Arab countries, including the Chinese Ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, Sudan, Iraq and even Turkey.
“The Chinese government and the people of China have displayed a keen interest in learning the Arabic language because it represents a strong bridge that connects the two worlds,” the professor said, adding: “Saudi Arabia has an equal interest to teach Arabic, and disseminate Arabic and Islamic civilization to China.”
He said cultural ties between the two countries are growing, especially with the presence of more than 3,000 Saudi students in China.
Meanwhile, Li, the Chinese ambassador, stressed that the participation of Arabist Chinese in the national heritage festival reflects the Chinese government’s keen interest in boosting relations between the two countries.
“We have chosen to strengthen existing bonds between our two countries through cultural exchanges,” the ambassador said.
Over 40 universities in China teach Arabic | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.
Another proof of Chinese sophistication and globalized outlook.
@Chinese-Dragon @ChineseTiger1986 @Wholegrain @Hu Songshan
I am still waiting for us to adopt Chinese as the second foreign language after English. Imagine the many benefits the GCC could get from this? Arabic as our first language one of the 5 most spoken languages and a major world language, English (most spoken) and Chinese (second most spoken). It would give us so many benefits and further boost trade. The strategic location of the ME as the major crossroad of the world would also make such an idea more logical than had we been located elsewhere.
I would like to see such steps. I would also like to see my children or grand-children being able to speak 3 world languages such as Arabic, English and Chinese in the even more future globalized world. Hopefully by then GCC will be a major hub of trade, financial growth and positive news. As it mostly is today but still a lot can get better and change.
China is a model country on many ways and I hope to see us even slightly emulate China on such issues. No excuse for us not to adopt Chinese as our second foreign language. Sooner rather than later. I urge the citizens of the GCC to spread this word and the authorities to take notice.
The fact that Han Chinese and Arabs are the two biggest ethnic groups in the world should also automatically mean that we should work closely together.
