Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 25 July (BelTA) – Belarusian-Chinese cooperation advances fast. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Belarus Cui Qiming made the statement during the ceremony held on 25 July to award scholarships to the best Belarusian university students and school students, who study Chinese, BelTA has learned.

The diplomat noted that an increasingly large number of young Belarusians show their interest in studying Chinese. For this purpose scholarships of the Chinese ambassador have been instituted and have been awarded for two years already. This year 30 students from various parts of Belarus have won the scholarships. Cui Qiming also noted that in China the Belarusian language is studied in two universities and there are plans to expand the teaching of the Belarusian language.

In turn, Belarusian First Deputy Education Minister Vadim Bogush thanked the Chinese embassy for supporting the teaching of the Chinese language in Belarus for many years. Vadim Bogush said he was confident that the ambassador’s scholarships would be one of the reasons to encourage more Belarusian university students and school students to learn Chinese. Vadim Bogush said he would like the initiative to become a tradition.

Rector of the Minsk State Linguistic University Natalya Baranova noted that the first step in studying the Chinese language in Belarus was made twenty years ago. Practice has demonstrated it was the right decision. More and more MSLU students start learning Chinese. The great interest of young Belarusians in the Chinese language was also mentioned by Sergei Ablameiko, Rector of the Belarusian State University, where a Confucius institute had been opened.

About 200 people attended the scholarship award ceremony, including representatives of the Belarusian Education Ministry, rectors of universities, heads of eight secondary education institutions, parents of the students, Chinese language professors, and Chinese students.