China and Georgia are good friends and partners, having sustained traditional friendship in recent years while advancing the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and innovating cooperation in trade, education, and other fields. On July 28, President Xi Jinping met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, announcing the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries, elevating China-Georgia cooperation to new heights.
On July 30, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili led a high-level delegation to visit Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). Accompanying him were 30 senior officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili, Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, Minister of Education and Science Giorgi Amilakhvari, Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Otar Shamugia, Head of Government Administration Revaz Javelidze, Ambassador to China Archil Kalandia, Director of Strategic Communications Nino Giorgobiani, and Director of Protocol at the Prime Minister's Office David Zantaraia. The Georgian delegation was warmly received by Chinese leaders including Vice Minister of Education Wu Yan, Chinese Ambassador to Georgia Zhou Qian, Counselor Zhang Wei from the Department of European and Central Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Director-General Chen Wei from the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges at the Ministry of Education, Director Liu Jianqing from the European and Central Asian Division at the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges at the Ministry of Education, Director Yuan Xikun of the Beijing Jintai Art Museum, BLCU Party Secretary Ni Haidong, President Duan Peng, Deputy Party Secretary Wei Hui, Vice President Huang Yifang, and Vice President Nie Dan. Nearly 100 representatives and experts from relevant fields in China and Georgia attended the event.
Deepening Mutual Understanding and Promoting China-Georgia Educational Cooperation
BLCU held a grand and enthusiastic welcome ceremony at the Conference Center, with over 120 international students from around the world participating on site. Party Secretary Ni Haidong presided over the ceremony, and President Duan Peng delivered the welcome address.
Party Secretary Ni Haidong presides over the welcome ceremony.
President Duan Peng stated that as the only university in China directly under the Ministry of Education named after "language" and known as the "Mini-United Nations," BLCU is deeply honored to welcome the Prime Minister and his delegation on the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, along with the installation of the Shota Rustaveli statue at BLCU. Over its more than 60 years, BLCU has been dedicated to advancing mutual understanding between China and the world and fostering mutual learning among diverse civilizations, training nearly 300,000 messengers of peace from 189 countries and regions who are proficient in Chinese and familiar with Chinese culture. President Duan summarized beneficial efforts in language connectivity and cultural mutual learning between China and Georgia: First, building bridges of cooperation to support the sustainable development of Chinese education in Georgia, establishing friendly relations with institutions like Tbilisi Free University and conducting practical and in-depth cooperation in Chinese teaching standards, regional Chinese education research, and Sinology studies; Second, facilitating cultural bridges by establishing strong partnerships with the Georgian Embassy in China to expand platforms for China-Georgia civilization exchanges; Third, solidifying bridges of friendship to promote mutual understanding among Chinese and Georgian youth through online training activities like the Chinese Bridge for Georgian youth and professionals in various fields. Looking ahead, with support from both governments, BLCU hopes to focus on three areas: First, centering on talent cultivation to deepen educational connectivity, leveraging strengths in international Chinese education, Sinology and Chinese Studies, regional and country studies, and language sciences to build world-class disciplines, initiate a China-Georgia University Alliance, and assume responsibility as a counterpart support base for Chinese education in Georgia, creating a bright future for China-Georgia education; Second, using language and culture as bridges to expand platforms for civilization dialogue, regularly hosting diverse bilateral cultural exchanges such as China-Georgia Cultural Days/Weeks to institutionalize, normalize, and yield results in language and cultural exchanges; Third, basing on youth exchanges to foster people-to-people bonds, encouraging youth from both countries to “visit and explore” each other’s nations, planting seeds of friendship and building a solid foundation for China-Georgia goodwill.
Vice Minister Wu Yan delivered an important speech, welcoming Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his delegation to China. He noted that China and Georgia have maintained a long history of friendly exchanges. During the July 28 meeting with Prime Minister Garibashvili, President Xi Jinping pointed out that “over 31 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, political mutual trust has been continuously consolidated, and cooperation in various fields has yielded significant results,” “both sides will jointly announce the establishment of a China-Georgia strategic partnership,” and “we should carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in all fields, and promote people-to-people bonds.” The talks between President Xi and Prime Minister Garibashvili have charted the course for further advancing friendly relations between China and Georgia. The education systems of both countries have maintained close cooperation. Since the signing of the China-Georgia education cooperation agreement in 2001, both sides have organized a series of vibrant exchange activities. The unveiling of the Georgian poet Rustaveli statue is an important event in mutual learning of languages and cultures between China and Georgia. Youth from both countries have sustained diverse exchanges and mutual learning, and with deepening educational cooperation, it is believed that larger-scale youth exchange activities will emerge, with young people jointly safeguarding the robust growth of enduring China-Georgia friendship. Looking to the future, Vice Minister Wu proposed working with Georgia in four areas to conduct broader, multi-level, and higher-quality educational cooperation. First, creating a new landscape for language cooperation by further deepening collaboration and hoping Georgia will strongly support Chinese universities in Georgian language teaching research and talent cultivation. Second, building new mechanisms for educational cooperation by negotiating new agreements and mutual recognition of degrees based on emerging needs to lay a policy foundation, and constructing platforms like prioritizing the establishment of a China-Georgia University Alliance. Third, exploring new models for educational cooperation, given China's vast education scale, suggesting a “point-to-surface” approach to build high grounds of cooperation and form distinctive features. Fourth, creating new highlights in educational cooperation, leveraging strong demands in digital education, vocational education, general higher education, and language teaching to lead with branded collaborations, comprehensively elevating the quality and level of China-Georgia educational cooperation, jointly advancing educational development in both countries, and making greater contributions to building a community of shared future for mankind.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili first expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping for inviting him and the delegation to visit the People's Republic of China and thanked BLCU for its welcome rich in Chinese cultural characteristics and sincere friendship. He stated that he is delighted with the elevation of Georgia-China relations to a new strategic partnership. Georgia currently has growing enthusiasm for Chinese language and culture, laying a solid foundation for cultural exchanges, and in the future, both sides should further promote cultural exchanges. Confucius Institutes have operated successfully in Georgia for many years, playing an important role, and the government will continue to support their development. Additionally, higher education cooperation is a top priority in China-Georgia cooperation, including advancing collaboration in ancient languages, educational mechanisms, higher education and technology, and student exchange programs. Prime Minister Garibashvili also expressed hope that Chinese teachers and students deepen their understanding of Georgian literature, history, and language, strengthening art and literature exchanges to further mutual understanding between the peoples. He hopes the statue of Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli will inspire faculty and students to explore Georgia's literature, history, and unique language. He looks forward to the statue becoming a symbol of friendship and mutual respect, serving and motivating youth from both countries to create a better, more interconnected world and future.
Sustaining Friendship and Innovating Practical Cooperation Between China and Georgia
From Beijing to Tbilisi, from the ancient Silk Road to the modern Eurasian transportation corridor, the peoples of China and Georgia have forged enduring traditional friendship. During the welcome ceremony, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Deputy Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili, Ambassador Archil Kalandia, Vice Minister Wu Yan, Party Secretary Ni Haidong, and President Duan Peng jointly unveiled the Rustaveli statue, celebrating the installation of this renowned Georgian poet at BLCU. The statue was created by renowned Chinese sculptor Yuan Xikun, Director of the Beijing Jintai Art Museum and the United Nations' first “Environmental Art Master.” Prime Minister Garibashvili remarked that he is honored to bring Shota Rustaveli's literature to China and hopes his statue will inspire Chinese students and teachers to explore Georgia's literature, history, and unique language. He anticipates the statue becoming a symbol promoting friendship and mutual respect, motivating us to create a better, interconnected world and future.
Cultural Performances to Deepen China-Georgia Humanitarian Exchanges
Accompanied by Vice Minister Wu Yan, Party Secretary Ni Haidong, President Duan Peng, and other leaders, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his delegation immersed themselves in the charm of Chinese civilization.
BLCU faculty and students presented a showcase of traditional Chinese arts, including guqin, calligraphy and painting, traditional dance, and tea ceremony. Guqin master Wu Han performed a ritual with incense and opened with High Mountains and Flowing Waters, using skillful techniques like rolling, brushing, sliding, and injecting to convey the joy of meeting kindred spirits to the guests from afar. Subsequently, outstanding young dancer Wang Zixiangyu performed the Dunhuang Flying Apsara Dance, which has gained wide attention in Belt and Road cultural exchanges, with graceful movements and fluttering ribbons showcasing the charm and inclusivity of Chinese culture. As the dance concluded, the elegant konghou melodies continued. Contemporary konghou inheritor Zhou Ke performed Silk Road Melodies, depicting the customs along the Silk Road and illustrating that the Silk Road is a path of trade, peace, and culture—a vital bridge for gathering nations along the Belt and Road and transmitting friendship. The Georgian delegation responded with rounds of applause and high praise.
Guided through the Confucius Institute, the Georgian delegation gained a deeper understanding of BLCU's outstanding achievements in international Chinese education. On site, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili joyfully copied BLCU's motto “Virtue and Words for a Harmonious World” in calligraphy and signed the guest book, wishing “China-Georgia friendship everlasting.”
In a media interview at the end of the event, Georgian Minister of Education and Science Giorgi Amilakhvari stated that the demand for Chinese learning among Georgian children grows annually. Under the new strategic cooperation framework, both countries are signing a memorandum to make Chinese a second language in public schools, providing support for children interested in learning Chinese, promoting the development of Chinese in Georgia, and further strengthening cooperation in higher education and science. BLCU Party Secretary Ni Haidong remarked that in Georgian, the words for “Chinese” and “best” are the same, vividly embodying the friendship between the two peoples. In the future, with support from both governments and all sectors, BLCU will fully leverage its strengths in Chinese education and humanities to deepen China-Georgia educational cooperation, swiftly initiate the establishment of a China-Georgia University Alliance, build bridges for mutual learning of civilizations, cultivate more high-caliber talent for China and Georgia, and jointly compose a new chapter in China-Georgia cultural exchanges.
(Edited by: Junyi Wang)
