Organized by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, a delegation of 19 members led by Ali Al-Bakali, President of the Yemen Renaissance Movement, visited Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) on March 20. Vice President Zhang Jing met with the guests at the International Conference Center on Hongkou campus.
Zhang welcomed the visit of Ali Al-Bakali and his delegation to SISU and introduced the history, talents cultivation, disciplinary construction, and the distinctive features of regional and area studies, particularly the Middle East studies, of the university. Zhang emphasized that both Yemen and China are cradles of world civilizations. SISU is dedicated to promoting mutual exchanges and learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations, contributing to the achievement of human progress and the making of a harmonious world. Zhang hoped that this visit would further enhance mutual understanding between the two countries in the fields of education and culture, showcase the historical responsibilities of ancient civilizations, and make positive contributions to world peace and development.
Ali Al-Bakali expressed his gratitude for the warm reception from SISU. He mentioned that the civilizations of China and Yemen have never been interrupted in history, and the two countries share a long and profound history of exchanges. He believed that the rise of China is based on the development of education and technology. The Yemeni government and universities highly value their exchanges with China, and are especially looking forward to cooperation with SISU to promote Yemen's development in education, culture, and other fields.
Wang Guangda, Executive Director of China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development (CARC), introduced the construction of the four major platforms and reviewed the participation of Yemeni officials in various specialized workshops at CARC. Lu Yiwei, Vice Dean of the School of Asian and African Studies, provided an overview of the history of establishing the Arabic language major at SISU, along with its academic research and student exchange Programs, as well as the history of SISU's educational assistance to Yemen. Ding Jun, Director of Middle East Studies Institute (MESI) of SISU, introduced about the development process of the institute as a key research base for the Ministry of Education in the humanities and social sciences, covering academic research, journal construction, talents cultivation, and international exchanges.
Ali Al-Bakali highly commended SISU's efforts in the fields of Middle East studies and China-Arab higher education and cultural exchanges. He expressed a hope to strengthen cooperation with SISU in areas such as talents cultivation, scientific research, and thinktank construction, emphasizing the significant role of education in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East and contributing to the development of Yemen.
Ali Al-Bakali and his delegation also visited the Middle East Studies Institute (MESI) and the Graduate Institute of Interpreting and Translation (GIIT) at SISU.
