People-to-people exchanges: Planting the Seeds of People-to-People Bonds for the Belt and Road
11th May 2017
Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China
The key to relations between countries is in creating bonds between their peoples; the key to bringing together two peoples is in bringing together individuals. Education can create, accelerate, and smooth the bonds that bring together individuals of the countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and Maritime Silk Road (the “Belt and Road”). Like the spring rain that fosters everything to start to grow in a soothing way, through its people-to-people exchanges, education forms the foundation, and lights the way ahead for, closer bonds between nations. After the Belt and Road initiative was first proposed, the Ministry of Education responded proactively, drawing up the Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road: Education Actions overarching concept document, which strengthens concrete measures and accelerates progress in educational exchange both domestically and internationally, and uses people-to-people exchanges in education to tamp an ever firmer base of closer relations between individuals that will support the Belt and Road initiative.
Internationally, the Chinese education system is working proactively to meet the wishes of countries along the Belt and Road, and to fully harness the special role that education has to play in creating people-to-people bonds between the nations of the Belt and Road. The Chinese government will work with its international partners along the Belt and Road for shared development of education, and will endeavour to build bridges with the peoples of the Belt and Road countries in three areas:
1. Accelerated building of language bridges, laying a foundation for people-to-people bonds
For us to understand each other’s thoughts, we must first understand each other’s languages. The building of language bridges is the foundation and prerequisite for the creation of people-to-people bonds. The Chinese government, together with the countries of the Belt and Road, all take the building of such language bridges seriously. Firstly, we are proactively implementing intergovernmental language programs between China and the countries of the Belt and Road, and intensifying the study of each other’s languages. Since 2012, China has sent out 3,454 students on study-abroad language immersion programs in rare languages. In 2016, China selected a total of 1,036 students who studied 42 non-common languages in 62 countries. Of the languages studied, 32 were the national languages of Belt and Road countries. 9 languages studied were not available for study in China at the time. Over the same period, China has welcomed around 170,000 international students who have come to study Chinese. Secondly, we are continually strengthening cooperation with Belt and Road countries, in order to accelerate the development of foreign language education in China. We have encouraged foreign studies universities such as Beijing Foreign Studies University to recruit staff from overseas and have expanded national scholarships for overseas study and visiting scholars. We have strengthened cooperation with Belt and Road countries. By 2018, China will have a total of 94 foreign language programs, thus providing a comprehensive range of languages to learn. Thirdly, we are working actively to meet the needs of Belt and Road countries with regards to building of language bridges, by supporting the establishment of Chinese language teaching programs. As of March 2017, there were 137 Confucius Institutes in 53 Belt and Road countries, and 131 Confucius Classrooms. These have continually worked to meet the needs for Chinese language learning in schools in Belt and Road countries, while also promoting the use of Chinese language teaching as a means to power the social and economic development of these countries. Confucius institutes in Thailand, for example, have established a high-speed rail training program; the Confucius Institute in Ukraine has offered training for local Air Ukraine workers; many students from the Confucius Institute in Belarus have been recruited by Chinese companies in the China-Belarus Industrial Park; and the Confucius Institute in Tajikistan has provided training for local employees of the Haicheng Group. In 2016, a total of 460,000 people in Belt and Road countries took Chinese classes via Confucius Institutes or Confucius Classrooms. Chinese is becoming an important language for communication for the building of the Belt and Road. Chinese learning has become an important force in creating people-to-people bonds, as well as a bridge to consolidate and develop friendly relations between China and the countries of the Belt and Road.
2. Implementation of the “Silk Road” Overseas Study Program, training up ambassadors who will promote people-to-people bonds
Ambassadors lead the way in creating people-to-people bonds. International students have long been ambassadors for cultural exchange and learning between civilizations. They have an important role to play in the creation of people-to-people bonds. Firstly, we must continue to increase support for students from Belt and Road countries to come to China. The establishment of the Silk Road Chinese Government Scholarship Program, which will focus on countries of the Belt and Road, will offer scholarships at the national, local and university level. The Chinese government has made a clear commitment to providing 10,000 new scholarship places to students from Belt and Road countries annually. In 2016, scholarship students accounted for sixty percent of international students in China from Belt and Road countries. The top ten countries in terms of the number of scholarships granted were Pakistan, Mongolia, Russia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Yemen, and Bangladesh. We have established the outstanding scholar program in order to strengthen the training of the best talent from overseas, and are making efforts to foster a young elite and cohort of future leaders for developing countries. As of the end of 2016, there were 207,746 overseas students from Belt and Road countries in China, an increase of 13.6% year on year. Of these students, the top ten countries in terms of number of students in China were Thailand (23,044), Pakistan (18,626), India (18,717), Russia (17,971), Indonesia (14,714), Kazakhstan (13,996), Vietnam (10,639), Laos (9,907), Mongolia (8,508), and Malaysia (6,880). Secondly, we should increase support for Chinese students studying in Belt and Road countries. Since 2012, a total of around 351,900 Chinese students have studied in Belt and Road countries, of which 11,900 were on national scholarships. In 2016 alone, around 74,400 students studied in Belt and Road countries, an increase of 38.61% compared to 2012. Of these students, 3,929 were on national scholarships, an increase of 248% compared to 2012. Thirdly, we should make great efforts to improve policy consultation concerning overseas study between Belt and Road countries. As of April 2017, we had signed 45 bilateral or multilateral educational cooperation agreements with Belt and Road countries, as well as agreements on mutual recognition of academic qualifications with 24 Belt and Road countries.
3. Comprehensive expansion and deepening of people-to-people exchanges in education, in order to form ties between different nations
People-to-people exchanges are at the forefront of building people-to-people bonds. Culture becomes richer through exchange; civilizations become richer through learning from others. Education has a role to play in the forging of people-to-people bonds. Firstly, high level people-to-people exchange mechanisms can play a leading role. In 2016, six high level people-to-people exchange mechanisms, including those between China and Russia and China and Indonesia, signed a total of 86 cooperation agreements yielding over 400 fruitful results. Over 100,000 Chinese and international guests attended related events. We established 13 bilateral scholarships including those with Mongolia, Tanzania, Egypt, and Indonesia, and established people-to-people exchange scholarships with Russia and other countries, in order to promote and expand people-to-people exchanges. This year, the China-South Africa high level people-to-people exchange mechanism was inaugurated on 24th April. President Xi Jinping and President Jacob Zuma both offered their congratulations, while Vice Premier Madame Liu Yandong attended the event and made an important speech. High level people-to-people exchange mechanism between China and South Africa has become a shining example of learning between Chinese and African civilizations, and of people-to-people exchange cooperation between developing countries. Secondly, China and its partners have established a discussion-based platform for people-to-people exchanges in education. With the efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week has been held for the 9th time, attracting over 12,000 people from China and ASEAN countries. Over 2,717 schools and educational institutions attended the event. 1,088 education cooperation agreements or memoranda of understanding were signed. The event included the China-ASEAN Education Minister Roundtable Conference, university president forum, academic symposiums, an exhibition of education resources, special topic seminars, youth cultural festival, and a student summer camp. Thirdly, we have established a series of trademark events to encourage people-to-people exchanges in education. We have meticulously promoted the implementation of “China-ASEAN Double 10,000 Student Movement Plan – Upgrade Version”, the “Double 100 Vocational School Strong Cooperation Flagship Plan”, the “1000 Primary and Secondary School Teacher Exchange Programme” and other programmes. By 2025 we will bring the number of teachers and students moving between China and Belt and Road Countries to 300,000, leading to much improved people-to-people exchanges with Belt and Road countries. We have launched the “Sports and Culture Competition for Overseas Students in China” and other cultural events, which allow overseas students in China to feel more at home, and which help students better understand and identify with China.
Domestically, with Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road: Education Actions as a roadmap, we have focused on signing up with partners for international cooperation in the Belt and Road education initiative at the province and ministry level. We have given tangible policy incentives to partner provinces with regard to overseas students going or coming from abroad, establishment of international education partnership schools in China and abroad, people-to-people exchanges, platform-building and other areas. We have encouraged provinces to play to their local strengths and characteristics, to build bridges for people-to-people bonds, and to endeavour to further people-to-people bonds with Belt and Road countries. Currently, the Ministry of Education has signed partner agreements with 14 provinces (areas) or municipalities. The Ministry has basically completed the rollout of the Belt and Road initiative to all provinces along the route of the Belt and Road and has begun the formation of a network of action with partner provinces.
Partner provinces have all harnessed their regional position and local characteristics to build their own local brand and particular signature. By so doing, they have become the vanguard of the effort to push forward people-to-people bonds for the Belt and Road Initiative. This has become apparent in the following areas:
Firstly, playing to local advantages and forging people-to-people exchanges with neighbouring countries. Yunnan Province has harnessed its advantage as Southwest China’s gateway to southeast and south Asia, namely Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. The Ministry of Education is working hard to promote the program for English teachers from the mountain regions of western Yunnan to go abroad for further study, and the establishment and development of the Yunnan Province China – ASEAN Training Centre for Language and Culture Experts at Yunnan Minzu University. The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is making use of its position bordering Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan to build platforms for multi-discipline, multi-level international exchange and cooperation that will promote teaching of Chinese as a second language. Xinjiang is also making efforts to popularize the Chinese language and establish more Confucius Institutes, and develop more Chinese language teaching materials. Heilongjiang Province is playing to its geographical position to develop Sino-Russian cooperation, and has launched events such as the “Year of Language”, “Year of Tourism”, and “Year for Young People” to promote people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia.
Secondly, harnessing the resources advantage of the region, in order to develop special people-to-people exchanges. Fujian Province is harnessing its strong ties with the Chinese diaspora to reach out to overseas and ethnic Chinese and the influence of their networks to promote Chinese culture in the countries along the Belt and Road, allowing better understanding between China and the peoples of the Belt and Road. Shaanxi Province has excellent higher education resources, which it is making use of to form Silk Road university alliances. 128 institutions of higher education in 31 countries and regions have joined this alliance, which will promote exchange and cooperation between universities, and in training of talent, scientific research, and cultural communication, and thereby improve understanding and build friendships between young people. Gansu Province has harnessed its reputation as a producer of many Traditional Chinese Medicine (“TCM”) herbs to jointly establish 8 Qih¬¬¬¬¬¬¬uang Traditional Chinese Medicine Colleges and 4 Traditional Chinese Medicine Centers with universities in Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Hungary. In recent years, Gansu has welcomed 110 students from Belt and Road countries to study TCM. Hainan Province has also strengthened cooperation and exchange in education with countries along the Maritime Silk Route, in Central and Eastern Europe, and in Central Asia. The result has been people-to-people exchanges, jointly established schools in each other’s countries and student exchanges, as well as the launching of training programs in Chinese language, tropical agriculture, tropical medicine, seawater farming, and tourism management targeted at Belt and Road countries.
Thirdly, relying on brand exchange platforms to develop people-to-people exchanges in specific fields. Ningxia Autonomous Region has concentrated on education exchange and cooperation with Arab states, producing a cohort of Chinese-Arab people-to-people exchange bases, including the School of Arabic Studies at Ningxia University and the Confucius Institute at the University of Dubai and the Ningxia International Arabic School. Guizhou Province will play to its advantage as the permanent host of the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week to launch a wide-ranging series of education cooperation and exchange projects with ASEAN and Belt and Road countries. 2016 was the ASEAN-China Year of Educational Exchange. Over the course of the year, ASEAN and China held close to 300 diverse exchange events based on the theme of “Education First, Make Dreams Come True Together”, creating a firm foundation for people-to-people bonds. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has established a special Guangxi Government Scholarship for ASEAN Students, and Confucius Institute Scholarships, which are allowing ASEAN students to realize their dreams of studying in China. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has made use of people-to-people exchange mechanisms including the China-Mongolia Expo, and the China-Russia-Mongolia Economic and Trade Fair. Inner Mongolia has also jointly held education forums, expos, exhibitions, sports competitions, gala events and summer schools with other Belt and Road countries. These events have served to lay deep roots for people-to-people exchanges between young people. The city of Qingdao has harnessed its unique ocean resources, its access to sea routes, and its rubber tyre industry, and linked up with the International Alliance of Marine-related Institutions, the ASEAN Fisheries Education Network (ASEAN-FEN), and the Thailand Training Base for Rubber Industry Experts.