On the noon of July 3, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the unveiling ceremony for the Kazakhstan Branch of Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) was solemnly held at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Following their talks, President Xi Jinping and President Tokayev jointly addressed the press, noting that they had attended the unveiling ceremonies for the cultural centers of both countries and the BLCU Kazakhstan Branch. They expressed confidence that these initiatives would further promote mutual understanding and affinity between the peoples of the two nations.
President Xi emphasized that China-Kazakhstan relations are rooted in the ancient Silk Road spanning millennia and have been enriched by 32 years of mutually beneficial cooperation, elevating them to a high level of permanent comprehensive strategic partnership. Enduring friendship, deep mutual trust, and shared destiny have become the keynote of China-Kazakhstan cooperation. Looking ahead, both leaders are fully confident in the inheritance and development of traditional friendship and all-round cooperation between the two countries.
The Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan highlights that both sides will vigorously promote cooperation between educational institutions and research institutes, encouraging and expanding the scale of two-way student mobility. The two sides welcome the establishment of a BLCU branch at Astana International University and encourage high-level Chinese universities to establish campuses in Kazakhstan.
Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng and Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek reported to the two heads of state. Subsequently, BLCU President Duan Peng and Astana International University President Irsaliev jointly unveiled the plaque for the BLCU Kazakhstan Branch.
In an interview, President Duan Peng noted that since its founding, BLCU has trained over 300,000 international alumni from nearly 200 countries and regions who are proficient in Chinese and knowledgeable about China and its culture. He stated that as China-Kazakhstan relations enter another "golden 30 years," bilateral cooperation is ushering in a new strategic opportunity period. BLCU will leverage the branch's leading and radiating role, collaborating with partners in Kazakhstan and Central Asia to implement the important directives of the two heads of state. By using language as a bridge and fostering friendship through words, the university will promote connectivity, mutual learning, and exchange, making positive contributions to a brighter future for China-Kazakhstan and China-Central Asia relations.
On October 17, 2023, President Tokayev visited his alma mater, BLCU. He remarked, "Beijing Language and Culture University is a highly prestigious institution, impressive for its teaching quality and international orientation. I am delighted to return and share my experiences and thoughts with the young students." "I believe that through continuous learning and mutual exchange, Kazakhstan's younger generation will become a vital force in advancing Kazakhstan-China friendship." This year marks the 40th anniversary of President Tokayev's graduation from BLCU. At this meaningful juncture and during the historic moment of the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, the establishment of the BLCU Kazakhstan Branch not only represents a key diplomatic achievement for the two heads of state but also marks a new milestone in China-Kazakhstan educational cooperation, opening and leading a new chapter in cultural exchanges between China and Central Asia.
