China Daily

Leaders to sign deal on educationa­l exchanges

- By YUAN SHENGGAO

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-topeople 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.

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