The signing ceremony for the establishment of the Confucius Institute at Tunku Abdul Rahman University in Malaysia was held in Dezhou City, Shandong Province, China on May 22, 2023. Zhao Lingshan, vice president and secretary-general of the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF), Ewe Hong Tat, president of Tunku Abdul Rahman University, Che Bin, secretary of the CPC Committee of Dezhou University, Zhao Changlin, president of Dezhou University, and Li Yongping, vice president of Dezhou University, attended the signing ceremony.

As Zhao Lingshan expressed, the establishment of the Confucius Institute at Tunku Abdul Rahman University will serve as a new window for the exchange of language and mutual learning of culture between China and Malaysia. It is hoped that with close cooperation among the three parties involved, the Confucius Institute will take initiative in organizing language teaching and cultural exchange activities based on the needs of the local area and the principle of serving the community. In addition, the Confucius Institute shall serve as a bridge of friendship for language and cultural exchanges between China and Malaysia, as well as a colorful stage for the exchange and mutual learning of diversified civilizations in the world. In collaboration with partners from all walks of life in China and Malaysia, the CIEF will spare no efforts in pooling funds, talents, and all conceivable strength and resources to support the sustainable and high-quality development of the Confucius Institute and make contributions to deepening the friendship between the Chinese and Malaysian people.

Speech by Zhao Lingshan

As mentioned by Ewe Hong Tat, Tunku Abdul Rahman University has maintained a friendly relationship with Dezhou University ever since the establishment of the formal partnership between each other in 2018. The cooperation with Dezhou University this time to set up the Confucius Institute at Tunku Abdul Rahman University will push the cooperation between each other to another peak. It is hoped that the three parties involved will deepen cooperation and exchanges in the future with the setting up of the Confucius Institute as the starting point.

Speech by Ewe Hong Tat

According to Che Bin, the signing ceremony for the setting up of the Confucius Institute at Tunku Abdul Rahman University is not only a fruitful achievement of the long-term and pragmatic cooperation between the Tunku Abdul Rahman University and Dezhou University, but also a new starting point for continuous expansion in exchanges and cooperation between the two universities at deeper levels and in wider fields. The advantages of international Chinese language education between the two universities shall be fully utilized to cultivate more international talents who are proficient in Chinese and equipped with global competence, and are willing to deepen the friendship between China and Malaysia and make contributions to the promotion of exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations between China and Malaysia.

Speech by Che Bin

Zhao Lingshan, Ewe Hong Tat, and Zhao Changlin collectively signed the agreement for the cooperation on the establishment of the Confucius Institute. More than 20 people from relevant departments of Tunku Abdul Rahman University and Dezhou University participated in the event.

(Reprinted from the official website of Dezhou University with deletions)