Leaders to sign deal on educational exchanges

During the visit of Mongolian Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa to China from Monday to Thursday, the two countries are expected to sign a key education plan, according to Mongolian Foreign Minister Tsogtbaatar Damdin.

The Chinese Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports of Mongolia will sign a joint plan on developing cooperation and exchanges in education from 2018 to 2021.

The plan will map out the directions and measures to be undertaken by the two sides to further enhance the exchanges and cooperation of universities in both countries, co-organize educational expo events, and offer scholarship programs to Mongolian students each year, Damdin said.

The two countries will also conduct joint research on the development of tourism under the Belt and Road Initiative, he added.

The new agreement, if sealed, will come under the umbrella of the mechanism of the Mongolia-China Joint Committee on Humanitarian Exchanges that the two countries established in 2017.

The mechanism is aimed at implementing the agreements reached between the heads of the countries on developing traditional relations and friendship between the Chinese and Mongolian peoples, deepening mutual understanding and trust, and strengthening people-to-people exchanges.

The committee held its first meeting in January with the plan to initiate 44 programs in the areas of culture, art, education, science, health, sports, tourism, media and youth exchanges.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Mongolia in 2014, the countries announced their relationship has improved to become a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Since then, a series of dialogues and exchanges in various sectors have been conducted frequently, signaling growing strong bilateral bonds.

The enhanced mutual trust has become a cornerstone for the development of multilateral cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Through government scholarship programs, the two countries have agreed to promote educational exchanges.

According to a five-year youth exchange plan, which was agreed upon during Chinese President Xi's visit to Mongolia, 50 young Chinese will visit Mongolia and 100 Mongolian youths will tour around China on a yearly basis.

Another five-year exchange program focuses on media cooperation between the two countries.

In addition, the two countries will promote the joint registration of world cultural heritage work, strengthen high-level visits in the field of healthcare, exchange traditional medical experiences, advance joint research, and increase cooperation in human resource exchanges and training.

China is expected to continue to provide Mongolia with the translation of the best Chinese dramas, promote collaboration in films, culture and sports, according to Mongolian officials.

The bilateral collaboration also covers winter sports, joint research into promoting tourism under the Road and Road Initiative, setting up a cross-border tourism route and establishing friendships between nearby provinces.

(China Daily 04/09/2018 page7)