China hosted the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing on April 25-27 2019. President Xi pledged in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the forum that the MOE would continue to implement the “Silk Road” Chinese Government Scholarship Program, host the International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage and organize the “Chinese Bridge” Summer Camp for Youths in Belt and Road partner countries.
In a nod to the Belt and Road initiative, the MOE has actively participated in projects launched under its framework, allowing education to play its fundamental empowering role. So far, the MOE has concluded mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with higher education institutions in 24 Belt and Road (B&R) countries, and established 154 Confucius Institutes and 149 Confucius Classrooms in 54 countries. Under the support of the MOE, 60 Chinese higher education institutions have opened overseas branches in 23 B&R countries, and 16 have established 17 joint research labs. An increasing number of Chinese vocational education institutions are establishing partnerships in B&R countries as well.
Going forward, the MOE will deepen intergovernmental cooperation in order to expand the existing MRAs and educational standards and practice sharing programs to include more B&R countries. It will step up efforts to produce more urgently needed talent, by increasing scholarships for candidates pursuing Master’s and PhD degrees at Chinese institutions of higher learning. It will support Chinese universities and vocational colleges to establish alliances with their counterparts in B&R countries, bolster inter-university cooperation, and implement joint scientific research and talent training, allowing them to provide B&R countries with the needed talent and intellectual assistance as they pursue social and economic progress.
MOE Minister Chen Baosheng attended the forum. Vice Minister Tian Xuejun attended the high level session, and the people-to-people exchange forum, at which he delivered a speech.
