China-Arab research center on reform and development established at SISU
21 April 2017 | By Yang Meiping (Shanghai Daily) | Copyedited by Gu Yiqing
China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development was unveiled on Thursday at the Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education of China and Shanghai Municipal Government.
The center was established to intensify communications between China and Arab states on governance and economic development and to promote their friendship and cooperation after China’s President Xi Jinping initiated the idea in his speech when he visited the Arab League Headquarters last year.
Arab is an important part of the Maritime-Continental Silk Road and the world has turned their eyes to the area, but the role of China is always special as it started cooperation with Arab thousands of years ago, and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum has made fruitful achievements in all areas during the past 13 years, said Abudullah Saleh Al-Saadi, Ambassador of Oman in China.
“President Xi’s visit brought new vitality and opened broader prospect for our relationship,” said the ambassador. “I believe the center will further enhance our relationship as development and reform are important tasks in both of our countries.”
At the opening ceremony, the center also launched its first “Seminar for Arab Officials” with 24 government officials and scholars from 17 Arabic states.
In the following 10 days, they will study China’s diplomatic policy, its educational and economic development and reforms, and the China-Arab relationship in the forms of experts’ lectures, site visiting, case study, group discussions and forum.
SISU, Uz Consul-General Celebrates 25th Anniversary of China-Uz Relations
07 April 2017 | By Gu Yiqing, Guo Shuang, Wang Jiacheng, Deng Siyan and Zhou Jiawen
A conference of discussing Uzbekistan teaching was held Mar. 21 on Shanghai International Studies University (SISU)’s Hongkou campus to celebrate the 25thanniversary of Sino-Uzbekistan diplomatic ties.
SISU University Council Chair Jiang Feng met with Agzamkhodjaev, Consul General of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Shanghai, during which the both sides reviewed a complete change brought by Sino-Uzbekistan diplomatic ties and shared experiences in teaching the Uzbekistan language and its culture.
25 years has passed since China and Uzbekistan established diplomatic ties, and it is historical moments that the two countries decided the next move. Specialists attending the conference exchanged ideas on where the relations would lead during the discussion session.
Jiang had been invited to visit Uzbekistan twice: one is for an academic seminar while the other is for witnessing the presidential election of Uzbekistan. He said: “Chinese and foreign cultures used to exchange in Uzbekistan thanks to its important location on the ancient silk road, and they become even more active today.”
Jiang also pointed out that SISU started cooperation with Uzbekistan in 2013 when a Confucius Institute was founded in Samarkand according to seven bilateral agreements signed by President Xi Jinping during his visit to Uzbekistan.
As the sponsor of the Confucius Institute, SISU has always been working closely with the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages. Supported by diplomatic and educational institutions of the both countries, the Confucius Institute has played an an important role in promoting Chinese language and culture in Middle and Central Asia.
Jiang Feng emphasized that languages are the foundation, above which is spiritual communication, and then “One Belt and One Road” implementation. . He added that courses focusing on Uzbek and area country focused research are open at SISU’s School of Russian and Eurasian Studies, and SISU’s Center for Central Asian Studies has become one of the leading think tanks in China to research Central Asian issues.
Agzamkhodjaev appreciated SISU’s contribution to cultural and educational communication between China and Uzbekistan. He added that deepening mutual understanding through higher education institutions cooperation remains crucial to the Uzbek government. He also pointed that the number of exchange students and postgraduates is growing steadily.
“China-Uzbekistan relationship is the exemplar of China’s peripheral diplomacy,” stated Bi Hongye, scholar from SISU’s Center for Central Asian Studies. With the closer commercial relationship between the two countries, Chinese tourists are endowed with visa-free travel to Uzbekistan. Bi suggested that China and Uzbekistan should further cooperate in fields, such as economics, trade, investmentand tourism development.
“The experience of establishing and maintaining Sino-Uzbekistan diplomatic ties can probably serve as a useful case for China to continue its diplomatic ties with middle-sized countries,” said Yang Cheng, scholar from SISU’s School of International Relations and Public Affairs. He laid much emphasis on Uzbekistan’s decisive role in facilitating the settlement of Afghanistan issue and steady development of Central Asian countries in a peaceful environment, suggesting that China should consolidate the strategic relationship with Uzbekistan unceasingly.
The conference was co-sponsored by SISU and the Uzbekistan consulate in Shanghai.
The day of holding the conference coincided with NOURUZ which is a spring festival for many cultures of Middle and Central Asia to celebrate the renewed life of the Earth.
It is notable that the first Uzbek teaching and research office nationwide was set up in SISU in October, 2015. The Uzbek language major, which falls under SISU’s Department of Russian, is ready to welcome its pioneers. SISU has offered course of teaching the standard Uzbek for two semesters, targeting students enrolled in Shanghai-based higher education institutions.
SISU and Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages are now working together to compile a Uzbek-Chinese dictionary, and Uzbek textbooks will be used among Chinese students. SISU also cooperated with several Uzbek universities to promote the teaching of Uzbek in China, aiming to cultivate multilingual talents capable of conducting area country focused research.
As a foreign student and voluntary language teacher, Musurmanov Khurshid indicated that he was greatly impressed by Chinese students’ passion in learning the Uzbek language. He said he hopes that SISU will establish an exchange program which will promote academic dialogues on a regular basis and help multilingual talents foster mutual understanding and international communication between China and Uzbekistan.
As an economically powerful member of the Commonwealth of the Independent States, Uzbekistan has played a decisive role in the peaceful development of Central Asia. With a more harmonious relationship between China and Uzbek during these years, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership. The Uzbek government has supported China’s proposal of building the Silk Road economic belt together.
Top social sciences journal publishes SISU scholar’s article on language and social development
10 April 2017 | By Meng Jinru, Liu Peiqi and Zhou Jiawen
Professor Zhao Ronghui from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) recently published her paper Understanding of Language and Its Contemporary Social Functions on Chinese top academic journal Social Sciences in China, which was the first time that SISU scholar’s article published by this journal.
Zhao pointed out in the paper that the social role of languages had been unprecedentedly developed into a mean of social construction and awareness. She also emphasizes in the paper that languages can lead to the integration of linguistics with economy, science, technology, and political activities.
Social Sciences in China, a comprehensive social science journal sponsored by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, published the latest and most significant academic research results in humanities and social sciences.
First published in January 1980, Social Sciences in China receives continuous attention and recognition from international scholars as the highest-level comprehensive social sciences journals in China. As a prestigious academic journal, it ranks top amid congeneric journals in several indexs according to major evaluation systems.
Multilingual 'Xi Jinping: The Governance of China' donation ceremony held at SISU Library
01 April 2017 | By Pan Qi and Gu Yiqing
On March 29, the donation ceremony of multilingual Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was held at Shanghai International Studies University Library in Hongkou Campus. Participants include Mr. Yu Fuwen, president of Beijing Chongxue Culture Co., Dr Jiang Feng, chair of SISU's University Council, and Professor Feng Qinghua, vice president of SISU.
Mr. Yu donated to the SISU Library 320 copies of the translated version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in English, Russian, French, German, Japanese, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese. Feng on behalf of SISU accepted the donation, and Jiang issued a certificate to Mr. Yu.
Jiang expressed his sincere thanks to Mr. Yu’s donation in his speech. He said that the publication of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in different languages is of great significance, contributing to interpreting the concepts and principles of governance of the CPC leadership, and helping the international community to learn more about and better understand China's political ideas, its path of development, and its domestic and foreign policies. This book has received warm response worldwide.
In harmony with SISU’s ”Multilingual+” Initiative, the multilingual series of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China shall play an active role in constructing featured courses of Education in Ideology and Politics at SISU, according to Jiang.
He took an example of Xi’s vision of “creating a community of shared future for mankind”, which helps to address critical challenges of our times, exerting positive and far-reaching influence on contemporary international relations as “national egoism” gained ground in european countries.
Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is a compilation of Chinese President Xi's major works from November 15, 2012 to June 13, 2014. It comprises 79 speeches, talks, interviews, instructions and correspondence in 18 chapters. Compiled by the State Council Information Office of China, the CCCPC Party Literature Research Office and China International Publishing Group, this book was published on September 28, 2014, by Foreign Languages Press in multilingual versions, and distributed worldwide
