On the evening of February 3^rd, 2019, the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner was held respectively at Nanyuan Dining Hall (Quanzhou Campus) and Zijing the Second Canteen (Xiamen Campus) of Huaqiao University (HQU), where 566 faculty and students, from over 20 countries and regions including the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, got together to celebrate the Chinese New Year. HQU leaders Guan Yifan, Xu Xipeng, Wu Jihuai, Liu Gong, Liu Bin and Peng Pei, Assistant to the President Zhang Yunbo, and HQU former leaders Shi Yushan, Li Jimin, Guo Hengqun, Zhu Qifan and the Member of HQU Board of Trustees Qiu Jianxin attended the dinner. Such a cozy Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, one of the characteristic activities of HQU, has been held for more than 30 consecutive years.

Secretary of the Party Committee of HQU, Guan Yifan, and President of HQU, Xu Xipeng, delivered a speech respectively on both campuses. They expressed that 2018 was the year of HQU's development and achievement, which marked the steady progress of HQU in building itself a high-level university. They hoped that in the new year all the faculty and students will move forward together to turn over a new leaf for HQU.

At the dinner, the lucky money (also called Hongbao in Chinese signifying prosperity and happiness) is given by the university leaders to the students. They took photos of Hongbao and posted them on social networks to share with their families and friends their happiness, conveying the best wishes for the new year in cheers and laughter with delicious food.

Faculty and students cheer for the New Year.

Faculty and students enjoy the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner in the canteen. (Photo by Lin Yiqi)

Guan Yifan gives out lucky money to students.

Xu Xipeng gives out lucky money to students. (Photo by Lin Yiqi)

Students take photos of Hongbao. (Photo by Lin Yiqi)

The Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner