Submitted by CIO on
Director Ma Jun and Lecturer Zhang Jichao of CIUD participated in the Spring Festival reception ceremony held by the Embassy of China in Abu Dhabi at 7:00 PM on Jan. 9, 2014.
The Spring Festival reception ceremony was held in the residence of Ambassador Huang Jiemin. The reception venue was decorated with large red lanterns, illuminations and Chinese knots, and the event was characterized by a warm and peaceful atmosphere. Over 120 people, including Chinese-funded enterprises in the U.A.E, overseas Chinese, Chinese language teachers, overseas students, Hong Kong compatriots and all members of the Embassy staff, attended the reception. In his speech, Ambassador Huang expressed his warm Spring Festival greetings and extended his best wishes to all Chinese people living outside China.
After the reception, CIUD Director Dr. Ma Jun and Chinese Language Instructor Zhang Jichao met with Ambassador Huang and Counsellor Wang Yongzhao. Director Ma reported CIUD’s activities for the previous year as well as recent events. Ambassador Huang affirmed the strong communication links between the People’s Republic of China and the UAE and pointed out that their cooperation encompassed areas such as the economy, energy resources, and trade. He further stated that the two countries had made much progress in the area of culture and the humanities and that understanding and friendship between the two peoples were deepening day by day. He said he greatly appreciated the work that CIUD had done over the previous year and encouraged CIUD to make a bigger contribution to the deepening culture of mutual trust by promoting Chinese language and culture. In addition, he stated clearly that the Embassy would always support the ongoing development of the Confucius Institute and would provide any needed assistance. At the same time, he requested that the CIUD staff convey his Spring Festival wishes to all teachers, students and staff at Ningxia University.
Director Ma Jun affirmed his appreciation for the Embassy’s continual support and stated that the Confucius Institute would likely become a vital component of Dubai’s society as it extended the range of its promotion of Chinese culture and language. Finally, Director Ma Jun presented the Embassy with a crystal memento embellished with the Confucius Institute logo.