Daily Times

The Sargodha University (SU) has received a specific plaque of Confucius Institute sent by the Confucius Institute headquarters, Hanban China.

In this regard, Ms Salena Wang, the representative of Henan Normal University (HNU), China presented the decorated plaque of Confucius Institute to the Vice Chancellor Sargodha University Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad.

The plaque will be fixed at the Confucius Institute Sargodha University.

Speaking on the occasion, the vice chancellor said that the Confucius Institute will be functional from Fall-2020. As a prelude to the functioning of the Confucius Institute, two Chinese language teachers from HNU have already been started the Chinese languages classes at SU while more teachers will be hired for the Institute to promote Chinese language, arts and culture, he added.

The vice chancellor further said that the Confucius Institute would help Pakistani youth to acquire language skills, develop deep understanding of Chinese culture and civilization to become useful partners in development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Salena Wang said that despite the years-long relations between the two countries, people don’t understand each other’s culture. The Confucius Institute would bridge the communication gap and also provide the opportunities to the young researchers with strong knowledge of Chinese language and culture to research at Chinese universities.

Dr Fazal ur Rehman, the Director Pakistan Institute of China Studies, said that learning Chinese language and having good understanding of the Chinese culture would ease the communication and help in building people to people contact.

In October last year, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese premier Li Keqiang pledged to undertake many projects one of which was about the establishment of the Confucius Institute at Sargodha University. However, the Vice Chancellor Dr Ishtiaq Ahmad and Dr Fazal ur Rehman, the director PICS, worked out the formalities of its establishment in December, 2019 during a visit to China, when they participated in the 2019 International Chinese Language Conference held at Changsha.