Georgian PM’s first visit to University will go down in history, become important stage in China-Georgia friendship - BLCU President

Yuyan Xueyuan, the President of the Beijing Language and Culture University, on Sunday said the first visit of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his delegation to China after the establishment of the University would “surely go down in history” of the BLCU and would become an important stage in the promotion of China-Georgia friendship.

Let's consider this as a new starting point and help build a metaphorical bridge of mutual learning between our civilizations and build a bright future for China and Georgia”, Xueyuan stressed in his speech at the unveiling ceremony of the 12th-century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli’s bust at the University.

He cited a quotation “He who does not seek a friend is his own enemy” from Rustaveli’s poem The Knight in the Panther’s Skin and noted the poet's bust symbolised the friendship between China and Georgia. “It is also a symbol of deep mutual learning of Chinese and Georgian civilizations between the two countries”, the BLCU President emphasised, saying the bust would create “an even more multicultural” environment at the University.

Photo via Government Administration

China and Georgia are connected by “a long-standing friendship” that is becoming more active “day by day”, Xueyuan stressed, highlighting the active work in the direction of culture with the Georgian Embassy in China and Ambassador Archil Kalandia.

Xueyuan pointed out the establishment of a strategic partnership between the countries and noted that the two states would continue to work in several directions in the future too, including deepening educational cooperation.

• Chinese Vice Education Minister stresses “great importance” of developing educational cooperation with Georgia

He said a Chinese-Georgian University Alliance would be established with the support of the BLCU, with the aim to “create a better future in the field of education in the two countries” and announced that various cultural days and weeks would be organised “regularly” to expand the dialogue platform between the two civilisations. 

People-to-people exchanges between China and Georgia will also be promoted, Xueyuan noted in his speech. Four Georgian students have been currently studying at the BLCU, “they are not only outstanding students, but also Chinese-foreign cultural bridge builders”, he added.